Testing apparatus and testing method

Abstract

This testing apparatus tests the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device. The testing apparatus comprises: a contactor member that has, on one surface, a plurality of first contacting portions that come into contact with electrode pads of the semiconductor device, and that has, on the other surface, a plurality of second contacting portions that are electrically connected to the plurality of first contacting portions, respectively; and a tester that comes into contact with the plurality of second contacting portions on the other surface of the contactor member, and that can supply electric power to the semiconductor device via the contactor member. The contactor member can bring two or more first contacting portions into contact with each electrode pad. The tester causes a fritting phenomenon to arise by applying a voltage between the two or more first contacting portions that have been brought into contact with the electrode pad, thereby electrically connecting the electrode pad and the first contacting portions.

Description

Inspection device and inspection method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an inspection device and an inspection method.

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known an inspection device that inspects semiconductor devices by bringing multiple contact probes of a probe card into contact with the insulating layer of each electrode pad of the semiconductor device so as to penetrate the insulating layer. This type of contact probe deteriorates in contact with the electrode pads due to reasons such as the adhesion of deposits and the progression of oxidation during inspection. For this reason, inspection devices take measures such as polishing or cleaning the contact probes or replacing the probe card after performing multiple inspections.

[0003] Furthermore, Patent Document 1 discloses an inspection device that destroys the insulating layer (insulating coating) of an electrode pad by a fritting phenomenon by contacting a pair of contact probes of a probe card with the electrode pad (inspection electrode) of a semiconductor device and applying a voltage.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-139542

[0005] The present disclosure provides a technique that can reduce inspection costs and can inspect semiconductor devices well.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an inspection apparatus for inspecting electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device, the inspection apparatus comprising: a contactor member having, on one side, a plurality of first contact portions that contact electrode pads of the semiconductor device and a plurality of second contact portions that are electrically connected to the plurality of first contact portions, respectively, on the other side; and a tester that contacts the plurality of second contact portions on the other side of the contactor member and is capable of supplying power to the semiconductor device via the contactor member, wherein the contactor member is capable of bringing two or more of the first contact portions into contact with the electrode pads, and the tester applies a voltage between the two or more first contact portions that are in contact with the electrode pads to cause a fritting phenomenon, thereby electrically connecting the electrode pads and the first contact portions.

[0007] According to one aspect, it is possible to reduce the inspection cost and to inspect semiconductor devices satisfactorily.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of an inspection apparatus according to an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of a contactor member not in contact with a substrate and its surrounding structure; FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of a contactor member in contact with a substrate and its surrounding structure; FIG. 4 is a first explanatory view showing the operation of a fritting phenomenon; FIG. 5 is a second explanatory view showing the operation of a fritting phenomenon; FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing the inspection of a semiconductor device after a fritting phenomenon; FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an inspection method according to an embodiment; FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of an inspection apparatus according to a modified example; FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of an inspection cell of an inspection apparatus according to a modified example.

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations may be omitted.

[0010] 1, an inspection apparatus 1 according to an embodiment is an apparatus for inspecting electrical characteristics of a substrate W. The substrate W to be inspected may be a wafer on which a plurality of semiconductor devices, which are devices under test (DUTs), are arranged. However, the type of substrate W is not particularly limited, and may be a carrier on which semiconductor devices are arranged, a glass substrate, a single chip, an electronic circuit board, or the like.

[0011] The inspection device 1 includes an inspection unit 10 that actually performs the inspection, a loader 13 that is installed adjacent to the inspection unit 10, and a tester 20 that is installed above the inspection unit 10. The inspection device 1 further includes a controller 90 that controls the operations of the inspection unit 10, the loader 13, and the tester 20.

[0012] The inspection unit 10 includes a rectangular parallelepiped housing 11, and an inspection chamber 12 is disposed inside the housing 11. The inspection chamber 12 accommodates a stage 30 on which a substrate W is placed and which transports the substrate W to a desired three-dimensional coordinate position.

[0013] A container such as a FOUP (Front-Opening Unified Pod) for storing a plurality of substrates W is set in the loader 13. The loader 13 is equipped with a transport device (not shown), which removes the substrates W from the container and transfers them to the stage 30 in the inspection chamber 12. The loader 13 also receives the inspected substrates W from the stage 30 by the transport device and stores them in the container.

[0014] The inspection unit 10 includes a tester 20 on the vertically upper side of the housing 11. The tester 20 includes a motherboard and multiple test heads (not shown), and is connected to a controller 90. The tester 20 transmits power, test signals, and the like from the motherboard and each test head to each semiconductor device on the substrate W, and determines the acceptability of each semiconductor device based on the signals received from each semiconductor device. By appropriately changing the test head, the tester 20 can perform multiple types of inspections.

[0015] The stage 30 installed in the inspection chamber 12 includes a mounting table 31 having a mounting surface 30s capable of supporting the substrate W, a moving unit 32 for moving the mounting table 31, and a stage control unit, a motor driver unit, etc. (not shown). The stage 30 may also include a stage-side camera 19 for capturing an image of the contact state between the substrate W and a contactor member 22 (described later).

[0016] The mounting table 31 is configured by stacking structures such as a bottom plate supported by the moving part 32 and a chuck top having a mounting surface 30s. Although not shown, the mounting table 31 may also include an appropriate holding means (vacuum suction mechanism, mechanical chuck, etc.) for holding the substrate W, a temperature control module for adjusting the temperature of the mounting surface 30s, a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the mounting surface 30s, etc.

[0017] The moving unit 32 transports the substrate W placed on the placement surface 30s in three-dimensional coordinate positions (X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis directions) and around the vertical axis (θ-axis direction) in the inspection chamber 12. For example, the moving unit 32 adjusts the horizontal position of the substrate W by moving horizontally (X-axis-Y-axis directions) between a position near or inside the loader 13 and a position facing the tester 20. The moving unit 32 also adjusts the circumferential position of the substrate W by rotating the placement table 31 around the vertical axis. Furthermore, the moving unit 32 adjusts the elevation position of the substrate W by moving up and down in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) at the position facing the tester 20 and the substrate W.

[0018] The stage control unit of the stage 30 is connected to a controller 90 (see FIG. 1) of the inspection device 1, and controls the motor driver unit based on commands from the controller 90 to operate the stage 30. The stage control unit includes, for example, a main control unit that controls the operation of the entire stage 30, a PLC that controls the operation of the moving unit 32, a temperature controller that controls the temperature adjustment module, an illumination control unit, a power supply unit, and the like.

[0019] The controller 90 of the inspection device 1 is a computer having a processor, memory, input / output interface, communication interface, etc. (not shown). The processor is one or a combination of a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a circuit made up of a plurality of discrete semiconductors, etc., and executes and processes programs stored in memory. The memory includes a main storage device made up of a semiconductor memory, etc., and an auxiliary storage device made up of a disk, a drive, a semiconductor memory (flash memory), etc.

[0020] Conventional testing equipment installs a probe card with numerous contact probes vertically below the tester, and tests the substrate by bringing each contact probe into contact with the electrode pads of the semiconductor devices on the substrate. As the number of tests increases, the contact quality of each contact probe deteriorates due to the adhesion of foreign matter to the probe tip and oxidation. To improve this deterioration, the testing equipment performs polishing using an abrasive member or cleaning using a cleaning wafer, which increases testing costs and reduces testing availability. Furthermore, each needle-shaped contact probe has a short lifespan.

[0021] Therefore, instead of a probe card having a large number of contact probes, the testing device 1 according to the embodiment uses a sheet-like contactor member 22. The configuration in which the contactor member 22 is used in the tester 20 will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS.

[0022] The contactor member 22 is a member disposed between the tester 20 and the substrate W for transmitting power and test signals from the tester 20 to each semiconductor device on the substrate W. The tester 20 also includes an interface board 21 that is electrically connected to the contactor member 22. The contactor member 22 is detachably attached to the interface board 21, and is replaced with a new contactor member 22 as it wears out.

[0023] The interface board 21 is electrically connected to the motherboard of the tester 20, and outputs power, test signals, etc. output from the motherboard (and the test head) to the board W via the contactor member 22. Note that the tester 20 may use the motherboard itself as the interface board 21, or may have a configuration in which a pogo frame and a plurality of pogo blocks housed in the pogo frame are applied instead of the interface board 21.

[0024] The interface board 21 includes a hard plate 211, a plurality of lower terminals 212 provided on the lower surface (one surface) of the plate 211, and a plurality of upper terminals 213 provided on the upper surface (the other surface) of the plate 211. Fig. 2A shows a configuration in which the entire interface board 21 is housed vertically below the tester 20. However, this is not limiting, and the interface board 21 may be provided in a position where all or part of it is exposed (protrudes) from the underside of the tester 20.

[0025] The plate 211 is formed in a flat plate shape from a hard, insulating resin material. The plate 211 is set to an appropriate thickness and has enough rigidity to suppress elastic deformation of the interface board 21. An example of the material for the plate 211 is glass epoxy resin. Inside the plate 211, a plurality of wirings 214 are provided to electrically connect each of the plurality of lower terminals 212 and each of the plurality of upper terminals 213.

[0026] The lower terminals 212 and the upper terminals 213 are formed of a conductive material such as copper or aluminum, and are provided in equal numbers. The lower terminals 212 and the upper terminals 213 are connected in a one-to-one relationship by wiring 214. Note that in FIG. 2, for ease of understanding, the lower terminals 212 and the upper terminals 213 are shown as convex portions protruding from the surface (top and bottom surfaces) of the plate body 211. However, the lower terminals 212 and the upper terminals 213 are not limited to convex portions, and may be formed as thin films of copper foil or the like so as to be substantially flush with the surface of the plate body.

[0027] Each lower terminal 212 is individually connected to a corresponding upper terminal 213 via each wiring 214. Each upper terminal 213 is electrically connected to a terminal on the motherboard of the tester 20 or to a terminal on the test head. For example, each upper terminal 213 is connected to a flitting circuit 24 and an inspection circuit 26 (described later) provided on the motherboard or the test head (see FIG. 3). Each upper terminal 213 can supply a voltage from the flitting circuit 24 to the lower terminal 212 on the opposite side of the plate 211 via each wiring 214. Furthermore, each upper terminal 213 can supply a test signal from the inspection circuit 26 to the lower terminal 212 on the opposite side of the plate 211 via each wiring 214.

[0028] The contactor member 22 is configured to be electrically connected to each lower terminal 212 of the interface board 21 and to be able to contact the electrode pads DP of each semiconductor device on the substrate W. Specifically, the contactor member 22 includes a sheet main body 221, a plurality of first contact portions 222 provided on the lower surface (one surface) of the sheet main body 221, and a plurality of second contact portions 223 provided on the upper surface (other surface) of the sheet main body 221.

[0029] The sheet body 221 is made of an insulating resin material and has multiple conductive wires 224 wired inside and on its surface. The thickness of the sheet body 221 is set to be thinner than the thickness of the interface board 21, for example. A flexible substrate (polyimide substrate) having flexibility can be used as the sheet body 221. This allows the contactor member 22, sandwiched between the interface board 21 and the substrate W, to elastically bend in accordance with the shape of each semiconductor device on the substrate W, facilitating alignment of each first contact portion 222 with each electrode pad DP of the semiconductor device. However, the contactor member 22 is not limited to this, and may be a rigid plate member that is not elastically deformable.

[0030] A plurality of conductive wires 224 formed on the sheet main body 221 electrically connect each of the first terminals 52 and each of the second terminals 53. The contactor member 22 wires each of the conductive wires 224 corresponding to each of the electrode pads DP of the substrate W, thereby eliminating the wiring required in a conventional probe card and enabling electrical connection between the interface substrate 21 and each of the electrode pads DP of the substrate W. In other words, the inspection device 1 can use the contactor member 22 to handle the electrical wiring from the motherboard to the substrate W.

[0031] The first contact portions 222 are arranged at positions facing the electrode pads DP of the substrate W and are terminals that contact the electrode pads DP. Meanwhile, the second contact portions 223 are arranged at positions facing the lower terminals 212 of the interface substrate 21 and are terminals that contact the lower terminals 212. The first contact portions 222 and the second contact portions 223 are provided in equal numbers. The first contact portions 222 and the second contact portions 223 are connected in a one-to-one relationship by conductive wires 224. Note that in FIG. 2 , the first contact portions 222 and the second contact portions 223 are also depicted as convex portions protruding from the surfaces (top and bottom surfaces) of the sheet main body 221 for ease of understanding. The first contact portions 222 and the second contact portions 223, which are convex portions, may be flexible and crushable upon contact with the interface substrate 21 or the substrate W. This allows the contactor member 22 to relax the control accuracy of the planar parallelism and the overdrive amount. However, each of the first contact portions 222 and each of the second contact portions 223 is not limited to being a convex portion, and may be formed as a thin film so as to be approximately flush with the surface of the sheet main body 221. Even in this case, each of the first contact portions 222 can be appropriately displaced according to the flexibility of the sheet main body 221, thereby relaxing the control accuracy of the planar parallelism and the overdrive amount.

[0032] The shape and position of each first contact portion 222 may be different from the shape and position of each second contact portion 223. For example, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B , the area of ​​each of the multiple second contact portions 223 is larger than the area of ​​each of the multiple first contact portions 222. More specifically, each second contact portion 223 has a large area, but the spacing between adjacent second contact portions 223 is narrow. In contrast, each first contact portion 222 has a small area, but the spacing between adjacent first contact portions 222 is wide. This allows the inspection device 1 to relax the accuracy required when aligning the second contact portions 223 of the contactor member 22 with each lower terminal 212 of the interface board 21.

[0033] Furthermore, the contactor member 22 is preferably formed from a plurality of divided sheets 225 divided horizontally (in the surface direction of the interface board 21). For example, the plurality of divided sheets 225 are attached to the lower surface of the interface board 21 so as to face each of the plurality of semiconductor devices on the substrate W. Each divided sheet 225 has a plurality of first contact portions 222, a plurality of second contact portions 223, and a plurality of conductive wires 224, and is electrically connected to each of the electrode pads DP of the facing semiconductor device.

[0034] Each separate sheet 225 is removably fixed to the lower surface of the interface board 21 by fixing means such as adhesive, screwing, suction, mechanical engagement, etc. Each second contact portion 223 of each separate sheet 225, when fixed by the fixing means, contacts the lower terminal 212 of the interface board 21 without any gaps. This allows stable transmission of power, test signals, etc. from the lower terminal 212 of the interface board 21 to each second contact portion 223.

[0035] Alternatively, the contactor member 22 may be a horizontally continuous main sheet 221 without the divided sheet 225. In this case, the contactor member 22 may be provided with an outer frame (not shown) on the outer periphery that supports the main sheet 221 in a stretched state, and the outer frame may be engaged with the interface board 21 or the like, thereby supporting the contactor member 22 on the interface board 21.

[0036] In order to generate the fritting phenomenon in each electrode pad DP, the inspection device 1 according to the embodiment brings each of the first contact portions 222 of the contactor member 22 into contact with each electrode pad DP in pairs (two portions). Hereinafter, the pair of first contact portions 222 that contact one electrode pad DP will also be referred to as first contact portions 222a and 222b.

[0037] The pair of first contact portions 222 a, 222 b are spaced apart at a fixed interval. The interval between the first contact portion 222 a and the first contact portion 222 b may be set according to the dimensions of the opposing electrode pad DP, etc. For example, the interval between the first contact portion 222 a and the first contact portion 222 b is set to be narrower than the interval between another pair of adjacent first contact portions 222 a, 222 b.

[0038] The pair of first contact portions 222a, 222b are connected to the pair of second contact portions 223a, 223b, respectively, via conductive wires 224. For example, the pair of second contact portions 223a, 223b are formed larger than the pair of first contact portions 222a, 222b and are spaced apart from each other. Furthermore, the pair of second contact portions 223a, 223b contact a pair of lower terminals 212a, 212b of the interface board 21, and the pair of lower terminals 212a, 212b are connected to a pair of upper terminals 213a, 213b, respectively, via wires 214.

[0039] 3A, the pair of upper terminals 213a, 213b are connected to a fritting circuit 24 provided in the test head of the tester 20 via internal wiring 25. The fritting circuit 24 applies an appropriate voltage to the pair of first contact portions 222a, 222b via the above-described connection path, thereby causing fritting in each electrode pad DP. An oxide film (insulating layer IL) formed by natural oxidation of the material of the electrode pad DP (e.g., aluminum) is formed on the surface of each electrode pad DP. The testing device 1 promotes electrical continuity between the pair of first contact portions 222a, 222b and the electrode pad DP by destroying the insulating layer IL through the fritting phenomenon.

[0040] For example, the fritting circuit 24 includes a power supply, a voltage application buffer amplifier, a resistor, and a limiter (not shown), and applies a voltage from the power supply to the pair of first contact portions 222a, 222b of the contactor member 22. The pair of first contact portions 222a, 222b may be made of an appropriate conductive material such as tungsten, beryllium-copper alloy, or palladium. The pair of second contact portions 223a, 223b may be made of the same material as the first contact portion 222, or may be made of a conductive material such as copper or aluminum.

[0041] The fritting circuit 24 applies a voltage from a power supply to the first contact portion 222a via a voltage application buffer amplifier and a resistor while the pair of first contact portions 222a, 222b of the contactor member 22 is in contact with the electrode pad DP. If the insulating layer IL is extremely thin, a small amount of tunneling current initially flows. As the power supply voltage gradually increases, the potential gradient between the pair of first contact portions 222a, 222b gradually increases. When a predetermined potential gradient is reached, fritting occurs, destroying the insulating layer IL of the electrode pad DP, as shown in FIG. 3B . This causes the pair of first contact portions 222a, 222b to come into contact with the metal surface of the electrode pad DP without the insulating layer IL interposed therebetween. When the fritting circuit 24 detects a sudden increase in current between the pair of first contact portions 222a, 222b using a limiter, the voltage application buffer amplifier stops applying voltage to prevent further current flow, thereby ending fritting.

[0042] 3C , after performing the fritting, the tester 20 switches to the inspection circuit 26 of another test head that inspects the semiconductor devices, and outputs a test signal TS to the pair of first contact portions 222 a, 222 b from the inspection circuit 26. This allows the tester 20 to effectively supply the test signal TS to the electrode pads DP from the pair of first contact portions 222 a, 222 b, and enables stable inspection of the semiconductor devices on the substrate W.

[0043] The tester 20 may also include a measurement unit 27 located midway along the internal wiring 25, which measures the contact resistance between the pair of first contact portions 222 a, 222 b. The measurement unit 27 measures the contact resistance of the insulating layer IL between the pair of first contact portions 222 a, 222 b and transmits the measurement information to the controller 90. This allows the controller 90 to recognize the contact between the pair of first contact portions 222 a, 222 b and the electrode pads DP, even during the inspection of the substrate W, and switch to a process for generating fritting. As a result, variations in contact resistance during inspection can be eliminated, and high contact can be achieved.

[0044] The inspection device 1 according to the embodiment is basically configured as described above, and its operation (inspection method) will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

[0045] 4 by controlling each component of the inspection device 1 in the method for inspecting the substrate W. In addition, in the method for inspecting the substrate W, the contactor member 22 is attached in advance to the lower surface of the tester 20 via the interface board 21.

[0046] In the inspection method, first, the mounting table 31 on which the substrate W is placed on the mounting surface 30s is moved horizontally by the moving unit 32 to position the substrate W at a position facing the contactor member 22 (step S101). As a result, as shown in Fig. 2A, each electrode pad DP of each semiconductor device on the substrate W is positioned at a position facing the pair of first contact portions 222a, 222b of the contactor member 22.

[0047] Next, the moving unit 32 raises the mounting table 31 vertically upward, and brings the pair of first contact portions 222a, 222b into contact with each electrode pad DP of the semiconductor device (step S102: (A) process, see also FIG. 2B). At this time, the overdrive amount of the moving unit 32 can be significantly reduced compared to the overdrive amount in which a conventional contact probe is brought into contact with an electrode pad and a contact load is applied. As will be described later, this is because the inspection is performed by destroying the insulating layer IL of the electrode pad DP by the fritting phenomenon. The pair of first contact portions 222a, 222b and each electrode pad DP are, for example, subjected to a force of 10 N / m ２ The contact state is achieved with the following contact pressure.

[0048] Based on a command from the controller 90, the tester 20 applies a fritting voltage from the fritting circuit 24 to the pair of first contact portions 222 a, 222 b to cause the fritting phenomenon and destroy the insulating layer IL of the electrode pad DP (step S103: (B)). As described above, when the fritting voltage is applied from the fritting circuit 24 between the pair of first contact portions 222 a, 222 b on the electrode pad DP, the insulating layer IL between them disappears (see also FIGS. 3A and 3B). As a result, the pair of first contact portions 222 a, 222 b come into contact with the metal of the electrode pad DP without the insulating layer IL interposed therebetween, establishing good electrical continuity.

[0049] Thereafter, the tester 20 outputs power or a test signal TS from the inspection circuit 26 and inputs the power, test signal, etc. to the electrode pads DP from the pair of first contact portions 222a, 222b, thereby inspecting each semiconductor device on the substrate W (step S104: (C)). At this time, the pair of first contact portions 222a, 222b and the electrode pads DP are in contact without an insulating layer IL, so that power, test signals, etc. can be stably supplied to the electrode pads DP. This enables the inspection apparatus 1 to inspect each semiconductor device on the substrate W with high accuracy.

[0050] Furthermore, the controller 90 determines whether or not to end the inspection of the substrate W (step S105). If the inspection is to end (step S105: YES), the moving unit 32 lowers the mounting table 31 on which the substrate W is placed vertically downward. At this time, the pair of first contact portions 222 a, 222 b and each electrode pad DP, which are in contact with each other with low contact pressure, can smoothly separate from each other. Furthermore, the moving unit 32 can transfer the inspected substrate W to the loader 13 by moving the mounting table 31 horizontally.

[0051] On the other hand, if the inspection is to be continued (step S105: NO), the process proceeds to step S106. In step S106, the controller 90 detects the contact resistance of the insulating layer IL using the measurement unit 27 even during the inspection of the substrate W, and determines whether this contact resistance is equal to or greater than a threshold value. If the contact resistance is less than the threshold value (step S106: NO), the process returns to step S104 and the inspection continues. On the other hand, if the contact resistance is equal to or greater than the threshold value (step S106: YES), the process proceeds to step S107.

[0052] In step S107, the tester 20 applies a fritting voltage to the pair of first contact portions 222 a, 222 b to cause the fritting phenomenon and destroy the insulating layer IL of the electrode pad DP based on a command from the controller 90. This restores the contact between each of the first contact portions 222 a, 222 b and the electrode pad DP, making it possible to successfully test each semiconductor device on the substrate W again.

[0053] As described above, the inspection apparatus 1 uses the contactor member 22 instead of a probe card and destroys the insulating layer IL of the electrode pad DP by the fritting phenomenon, thereby enabling satisfactory inspection of each semiconductor device on the substrate W. In particular, the inspection apparatus 1 suppresses the amount of overdrive and variations in contact resistance when contacting the substrate W, thereby achieving stable contact between the electrode pad DP and the pair of first contact portions 222 a, 222 b. As a result, semiconductor devices on the substrate W can be inspected with high accuracy.

[0054] The inspection device 1 of the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment and may take various modified forms. For example, the inspection device 1 according to the above embodiment has been described as having a configuration in which a pair (two) of first contact portions 222 of the contactor member 22 contact one electrode pad DP. However, the contactor member 22 may have a configuration in which three or more first contact portions 222 contact one electrode pad DP.

[0055] 5, the inspection apparatus 1A may be an apparatus having a cell tower 14a in which a plurality of inspection cells 14 are arranged. For example, the inspection apparatus 1A is configured by arranging a loader 13, a transport module 15, and a cell tower 14a in this order, and a transport device (not shown) of the transport module 15 transports substrates W to each inspection cell 14. Even in this case, the inspection apparatus 1A may be provided with a tester 20 for each of the plurality of inspection cells 14, and a contactor member 22 may be installed on the lower side of each of the testers 20.

[0056] 6, each inspection cell 14 may have a configuration in which a contactor member 22 is installed below an interface board 21 provided on the underside of the tester 20, and the substrate W is brought into contact with the contactor member 22. For example, the inspection cell 14 may also include a seal member 28 that seals around the contactor member 22, a bellows 29 that displaceably seals between the contactor member 22 and the mounting table 31, and the like. The inspection cell 14 vacuum-sucks the spaces inside the seal member 28 and the bellows 29 using a suction device (not shown). This allows the inspection cell 14 to bring the interface board 21 and the contactor member 22, and the contactor member 22 and the substrate W, into contact with each other at an appropriate contact pressure. The structure that seals between the contactor member 22 and the mounting table 31 is not limited to the bellows 29, and various other sealing mechanisms may be used.

[0057] Then, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the tester 20 of each inspection cell 14 generates a fritting phenomenon in the electrode pads DP of each semiconductor device on the substrate W via the first contact portions 222 of the contactor members 22. This allows the tester 20 to conduct the electrode pads DP of the semiconductor devices on the substrate W and the contactor members 22 with a small load, thereby enabling accurate inspection of each semiconductor device.

[0058] The technical ideas and effects of the present disclosure explained in the above embodiments will be described below.

[0059] A first aspect of the present disclosure is an inspection apparatus 1, 1A for inspecting electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device, comprising: a contactor member 22 having, on one side, a plurality of first contact portions 222 that contact electrode pads DP of the semiconductor device and, on the other side, a plurality of second contact portions 223 that are electrically connected to the plurality of first contact portions 222, respectively; and a tester 20 that contacts the plurality of second contact portions 223 on the other side of the contactor member 22 and is capable of supplying power to the semiconductor device via the contactor member 22, wherein the contactor member 22 is capable of bringing two or more first contact portions 222 into contact with the electrode pads DP, and the tester 20 applies a voltage between the two or more first contact portions 222 that are in contact with the electrode pads DP to cause a fritting phenomenon, thereby electrically connecting the electrode pads DP and the first contact portions 222.

[0060] As described above, the inspection device 1 can use an inexpensive contactor member 22 instead of a probe card with contact probes, thereby reducing the cost of inspecting semiconductor devices. Furthermore, the inspection device 1 can achieve good electrical continuity between each first contact portion 222 and the electrode pad DP by causing a fritting phenomenon in the electrode pad DP via each first contact portion 222. This allows the inspection device 1 to reduce the contact pressure (contact load) between each first contact portion 222 and the electrode pad DP, thereby enabling good inspection of semiconductor devices. For example, even if the number of electrode pads DP increases, the contact pressure between each first contact portion 222 and the electrode pad DP can be ensured, making it easy to inspect a large number of electrode pads DP.

[0061] The contactor member 22 is formed in a flexible sheet shape, which allows the contactor member 22 to be easily aligned with the tester 20 or the semiconductor devices on the substrate W, and allows the terminals (contact portions) to be stably contacted with each other.

[0062] The tester 20 also includes an interface board 21 that can contact the second contact portions 223 and supply power to the first contact portions 222, and the interface board 21 is formed to be harder than the contactor members 22. This allows the inspection apparatus 1, 1A to more stably connect the interface board 21 and the contactor members 22, enabling the tester 20 to supply power to the semiconductor device in a good manner.

[0063] Furthermore, the contactor member 22 includes a plurality of divided sheets 225, each of which is fixed to the interface board 21. This allows the inspection device 1, 1A to more easily align the respective divided sheets 225 with respect to the interface board 21.

[0064] Furthermore, the area of ​​each of the plurality of second contact portions 223 is larger than the area of ​​each of the plurality of first contact portions 222. This allows the inspection device 1, 1A to relax the required accuracy of alignment when connecting the interface board 21 and the contactor member 22, and allows the contactor member 22 to be installed efficiently.

[0065] Furthermore, the tester 20 causes the fritting phenomenon to establish electrical continuity between the electrode pad DP and the first contact portion 222, and then inspects the semiconductor device by outputting a test signal to the electrode pad DP via the first contact portion 222. This allows the inspection apparatus 1, 1A to successfully inspect the semiconductor device with the insulating layer IL of the electrode pad DP destroyed.

[0066] Furthermore, in the process of testing the semiconductor device by outputting a test signal to the electrode pad DP via the first contact portion 222, the tester 20 generates a fritting phenomenon to establish electrical continuity between the electrode pad DP and the first contact portion 222. This allows the testing apparatus 1, 1A to restore contact with the electrode pad DP by generating the fritting phenomenon even if contact with the electrode pad DP deteriorates during testing.

[0067] The tester 20 also includes a fritting circuit 24 therein that applies a voltage between two or more first contact portions 222. This allows the tester 20 to cause the fritting phenomenon in the electrode pads DP at appropriate timing.

[0068] Furthermore, the inspection apparatus 1A is provided with a plurality of inspection cells 14 each having a tester 20, and a contactor member 22 is installed for each of the plurality of inspection cells 14. In this way, even with the inspection apparatus 1A provided with a plurality of inspection cells 14, it is possible to cause the fritting phenomenon via the contactor member 22 and inspect the semiconductor devices on the substrate W.

[0069] Furthermore, a second aspect of the present disclosure is an inspection method for inspecting electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device, comprising: a contactor member 22 having, on one side, a plurality of first contact portions 222 that contact electrode pads DP of the semiconductor device and, on the other side, a plurality of second contact portions 223 that are electrically connected to the plurality of first contact portions 222, respectively; and a tester 20 that contacts the plurality of second contact portions 223 on the other side of the contactor member 22 and is capable of supplying power to the semiconductor device via the contactor member 22, and includes the steps of: (A) bringing two or more first contact portions 222 of the contactor member 22 into contact with the electrode pads DP; (B) applying a voltage from the tester 20 between the two or more first contact portions 222 that are in contact with the electrode pads DP to cause a fritting phenomenon, thereby electrically connecting the electrode pads DP and the first contact portions 222; and (C) outputting a test signal to the electrode pads DP via the first contact portions 222 to inspect the semiconductor device. Even in this case, the inspection method can reduce the inspection cost and can inspect the semiconductor device satisfactorily.

[0070] The inspection device 1 and inspection method according to the disclosed embodiments are illustrative in all respects and are not limiting. The embodiments can be modified and improved in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims. The matters described in the above embodiments can be configured in other ways as long as they are not inconsistent, and can be combined as long as they are not inconsistent.

[0071] This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-134377, filed on August 9, 2024, with the Japan Patent Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0072] 1, 1A Inspection device 20 Tester 22 Contactor member 222 First contact portion 223 Second contact portion DP Electrode pad

Claims

1. An inspection apparatus for inspecting the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device, comprising: a contactor member having, on one side thereof, a plurality of first contact portions that contact electrode pads of the semiconductor device, and having, on the other side thereof, a plurality of second contact portions that are electrically connected to the plurality of first contact portions, respectively; and a tester that contacts the plurality of second contact portions on the other side of the contactor member and is capable of supplying power to the semiconductor device via the contactor member, wherein the contactor member is capable of bringing two or more of the first contact portions into contact with the electrode pads, and the tester applies a voltage between the two or more first contact portions that are in contact with the electrode pads to cause a fritting phenomenon, thereby electrically connecting the electrode pads and the first contact portions.

2. The inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the contactor member is formed in a flexible sheet shape.

3. The inspection device according to claim 2, wherein the tester includes an interface board that is capable of contacting the plurality of second contact portions and supplying power to the plurality of first contact portions, and the interface board is formed to be harder than the contactor member.

4. The inspection device according to claim 3, wherein the contactor member includes a plurality of divided sheets, each of the plurality of divided sheets being fixed to the interface board.

5. An inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the area of ​​each of the plurality of second contact portions is larger than the area of ​​each of the plurality of first contact portions.

6. An inspection apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the tester causes the fritting phenomenon to establish electrical continuity between the electrode pad and the first contact portion, and then outputs a test signal to the electrode pad via the first contact portion to inspect the semiconductor device.

7. The inspection device according to claim 6, wherein the tester generates the fritting phenomenon to establish electrical continuity between the electrode pad and the first contact portion during the process of inspecting the semiconductor device by outputting a test signal to the electrode pad via the first contact portion.

8. The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the tester includes an internal fritting circuit that applies a voltage between two or more of the first contact portions.

9. The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a plurality of inspection cells each having the tester, and wherein the contactor member is installed for each of the plurality of inspection cells.

10. A method for inspecting electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device, comprising: a contactor member having, on one side, a plurality of first contact portions that contact electrode pads of the semiconductor device and, on the other side, a plurality of second contact portions that are electrically connected to the plurality of first contact portions; and a tester that contacts the plurality of second contact portions on the other side of the contactor member and is capable of supplying power to the semiconductor device via the contactor member, the method comprising: (A) a step of bringing two or more of the first contact portions of the contactor member into contact with the electrode pads; (B) a step of applying a voltage from the tester between the two or more first contact portions that are in contact with the electrode pads to cause a fritting phenomenon, thereby electrically connecting the electrode pads and the first contact portions; and (C) a step of outputting a test signal to the electrode pads via the first contact portions to inspect the semiconductor device.

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