Irradiation device, inspection device, and inspection method

Abstract

Provided is an irradiation device comprising: a first irradiation unit that irradiates a device with inspection light; a second irradiation unit that irradiates a connector of the device with illumination light; an imaging unit that captures an image including an irradiation position of the inspection light and a position of the connector; and a control unit that determines whether the connector is irradiated with the inspection light on the basis of the image captured by the imaging unit.

Description

Irradiation apparatus, inspection apparatus, and inspection method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an irradiation apparatus, an inspection apparatus, and an inspection method.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an inspection apparatus that places a substrate having a device such as a CMOS sensor on a mounting table and performs inspection by irradiating inspection light from the back surface (mounting table) side with an irradiation apparatus.

[0003] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2024-172600

[0004] The present disclosure provides a technique capable of accurately irradiating a connector of a device with inspection light.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an irradiation apparatus comprising: a first irradiation unit configured to irradiate a device with inspection light; a second irradiation unit configured to irradiate a connector of the device with illumination light; an imaging unit configured to capture an image including an irradiation position of the inspection light and a position of the connector; and a control unit configured to determine whether the inspection light irradiates the connector based on the image captured by the imaging unit.

[0006] According to one aspect, the connector of the device can be accurately irradiated with the inspection light.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a configuration of an inspection apparatus. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of an irradiation apparatus. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of an operation of irradiating a device with inspection light. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a first example of an operation of capturing an image of an irradiation position of inspection light. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a second example of an operation of capturing an image of an irradiation position of inspection light. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an example of an operation of capturing an image of a position of a connector. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an example of an operation of measuring parallelism. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a first example of an irradiation position confirmation method. FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a second example of an irradiation position confirmation method. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a first example of a parallelism measurement method. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a second example of a parallelism measurement method. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of an inspection method. FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a configuration of an inspection apparatus according to a modified example. FIG. 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of an irradiation apparatus according to a modified example.

[0008] The following describes embodiments for implementing this disclosure with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same reference numerals are used for identical components, and redundant explanations may be omitted.

[0009] Traditionally, in the field of optical component inspection, multiple inspection tasks such as cleanliness, alignment, and flatness of ferrules and photonic integrated circuits are often performed using separate tools. Examples of tools for performing these inspection tasks include manual visual inspection, basic optical microscopy, or standalone alignment systems.

[0010] Performing optical component inspection using multiple tools typically requires multiple pieces of equipment, resulting in inefficiencies in terms of speed and accuracy. For example, using multiple tools for various inspection tasks increases the time and effort required for the quality assurance process. Furthermore, manual or semi-automatic inspections can lead to variability in results, making it difficult to maintain high quality across the entire component. Many conventional systems also lack the real-time feedback mechanism necessary for active alignment, potentially impacting the accuracy of optical coupling. Additionally, operating multiple tools is costly and can occupy more space in the inspection environment.

[0011] The inspection apparatus according to this embodiment incorporates an irradiation device capable of performing three inspection tasks—cleanliness inspection, parallelism verification, and active alignment—in a single unit. The irradiation device according to this embodiment streamlines the inspection process, eliminates the need for multiple tools, and incorporates real-time feedback into active alignment.

[0012] In one respect, the inspection apparatus according to this embodiment can perform multiple inspection tasks with a single irradiation device, thus reducing the time spent on quality assurance. Furthermore, standardized inspection using a unified system improves the reliability of the results. Active alignment allows for precise positioning during inspection, improving the accuracy of optical coupling. Additionally, fewer pieces of equipment are required for inspection, reducing the physical space occupied in the inspection environment and lowering costs. This facilitates integration into existing inspection processes.

[0013] <Configuration of the Inspection Device> The configuration of the inspection device according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 1. Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the inspection device.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, the inspection apparatus 1 is an apparatus for inspecting a substrate, which is an example of an object to be inspected. Multiple devices to be inspected are formed on the substrate to be inspected. An example of a substrate to be inspected is a wafer W formed in a perfectly circular shape in plan view, with multiple devices arranged in a matrix. Note that the object to be inspected is not limited to a wafer W having multiple devices, but may also be a carrier on which devices are arranged, a single chip, or an electronic circuit board, etc.

[0015] The device to be inspected may, for example, be an optical component having an optical connector. Examples of such devices include silicon photonic devices, photonic integrated circuits (PICs), or co-package optics (CPOs). The inspection apparatus 1 inspects the optical characteristics of the device by injecting inspection light into the optical connector using a ferrule or waveguide.

[0016] The inspection device 1 comprises an inspection unit 10 that actually performs the inspection, a loader 13 installed adjacent to the inspection unit 10, and a tester 20 installed above the inspection unit 10. Furthermore, the inspection device 1 has a controller 90, which is a control unit that controls the operation of the inspection unit 10, the loader 13, and the tester 20.

[0017] The inspection unit 10 comprises a rectangular parallelepiped housing 11. The housing 11 has an inspection chamber 12 inside. A stage 30 is housed in the inspection chamber 12. The stage 30 places a wafer W on it and transports the wafer W to a desired three-dimensional position.

[0018] The loader 13 is equipped with a Front-Opening Unified Pod (FOUP), not shown, for holding multiple wafers W. The loader 13 is also equipped with a transport device, not shown, which removes the wafers W from the FOUP and transfers them to the stage 30 in the inspection room 12. The loader 13 also uses the transport device to remove the inspected wafers W from the stage 30 and place them in the FOUP.

[0019] The inspection unit 10 is equipped with a probe card 21 above the inspection chamber 12. The probe card 21 is connected to the tester 20 via an interface 23. The probe card 21 has a plurality of probes 22 positioned facing the wafer W. Each probe 22 contacts an inspection pad or the like on the wafer W when the wafer W is moved by the stage 30. As a result, the tester 20 outputs various signals to the device via the probe card 21 and interface 23, and receives various signals transmitted from the device via the probe card 21 and interface 23.

[0020] The tester 20 includes a motherboard (not shown) connected to the interface 23. The motherboard has multiple slots for mounting multiple test boards (not shown) and is connected to the controller 90. The motherboard tests each device on the wafer W based on signals transmitted from each device. The tester 20 can perform appropriate testing by appropriately changing the test boards according to the type of device on the wafer W.

[0021] Furthermore, the inspection apparatus 1 may be equipped with an inspection-side camera 29 at an appropriate location in the inspection chamber 12 to image the wafer W on the stage 30. The inspection-side camera 29 images, for example, the tilt of the stage 30 and the position of the wafer W placed on the stage 30. Furthermore, the inspection apparatus 1 may be equipped with a stage-side camera 19 to image the contact state between the probe card 21 or each probe 22 and the wafer W.

[0022] The stage 30 moves the wafer W within the inspection chamber 12 to bring the devices formed on the wafer W into contact with each probe 22 of the probe card 21. Specifically, the stage 30 includes a mounting table 31 on which the wafer W is placed, and a mounting table operating unit 32 for moving the mounting table 31. The mounting table 31 is fixed to the upper surface of the mounting table operating unit 32.

[0023] The mounting table 31 has a mounting surface 31a on its upper surface for mounting the wafer W. The mounting surface 31a has an annular suction groove formed therein for adsorbing the wafer W during inspection. The suction groove communicates with a suction passage provided inside the mounting table 31. The suction passage is connected to a suction mechanism 14 provided outside the inspection unit 10 via a suction line. The stage 30 applies suction pressure to the suction groove through the suction operation of the suction mechanism 14, thereby adsorbing and holding the wafer W onto the mounting surface 31a.

[0024] The mounting base 31 is formed in a cylindrical shape and has a space 31b inside it. The space 31b is formed in a circular shape in plan view and is set to be larger than the irradiation device 50. The irradiation device 50 is placed in the space 31b of the mounting base 31. The position of the irradiation device 50 within the space 31b is managed by the controller 90.

[0025] The mounting table 31 has an inner hole (not shown) to allow inspection light from the illumination device 50, which is located inside the space 31b, to pass through. The hole in the mounting table 31 is aligned vertically with the space 31b. Alternatively, instead of having a hole, the mounting table 31 may be made transparent from a material such as glass (quartz) to allow inspection light from the illumination device 50 located inside the space 31b to pass through.

[0026] The mounting table operating unit 32 moves the wafer W placed on the mounting table 31 to the target three-dimensional position in the inspection room 12 under the command of the controller 90. The mounting table operating unit 32 includes a Z-axis movement mechanism, a horizontal movement mechanism, and a θ-axis rotation mechanism. The Z-axis movement mechanism raises and lowers the mounting table 31 in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). The horizontal movement mechanism moves the mounting table 31 in the horizontal direction (X-axis-Y-axis direction). The horizontal movement mechanism may have a frame structure that integrates the Y-axis movement mechanism and the X-axis movement mechanism. The θ-axis rotation mechanism rotates the mounting table 31 around the θ-axis (vertical axis).

[0027] <Configuration of the Irradiation Device> Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of an irradiation device. Figure 2 shows the state of the irradiation device 50 during inspection. During inspection, the irradiation device 50 rises vertically (in the Z-axis direction) in the space 31b of the mounting table 31 and comes into contact with the wafer W. Device D is formed on the surface (vertically upward) of the wafer W. The connector C of device D is exposed on the back surface (vertically downward) of the wafer W.

[0028] As shown in Figure 2, the irradiation device 50 includes a ferrule 51, a stage 52, a dichroic mirror 53, a mirror 54, a splitter 55, a white light source 56, an aperture substrate 57, a mirror 58, a bandpass filter 59, a bandpass filter 60, a dark-field illumination 61, a dark-field illumination 62, a support frame 63, a heater 64, a cooling unit 65, a camera 66, and a control device 67.

[0029] Note that the ferrule 51 is an example of the first illumination unit. The dark-field illumination 62 is an example of the second illumination unit. The camera 66 is an example of the imaging unit. The dark-field illumination 61 is an example of the third illumination unit. The white light source 56 and aperture substrate 57 are examples of the projection unit. The stage 52 is an example of the position adjustment unit. The heater 64 and cooling unit 65 are examples of the temperature adjustment unit. The support frame 63 is an example of the support unit.

[0030] The ferrule 51 is irradiated with inspection light. The inspection light has a wavelength in the near-infrared band. For example, the inspection light may be a beam with a wavelength of 1300 nm. The ferrule 51 is connected to a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) by an optical fiber cable, and irradiates the dichroic mirror 53 with a beam input from a light source (not shown) via the semiconductor optical amplifier. In this embodiment, the ferrule 51 is a ferrule with a microlens array (MLA) incorporated into it.

[0031] Stage 52 is an XYθ stage for adjusting the position and orientation of the ferrule 51. Stage 52 is used for adjusting and actively controlling the irradiation position of the inspection light emitted from the ferrule 51.

[0032] The dichroic mirror 53 is an example of an optical element that transmits light of a specific wavelength and reflects light of the remaining wavelengths. In this embodiment, the dichroic mirror 53 is configured to reflect the wavelength of the inspection light and transmit light having a different wavelength from the inspection light. For example, the dichroic mirror 53 may be configured to reflect near-infrared light (e.g., light with a wavelength of 1300 nm) and transmit visible light (e.g., light with a wavelength of 400 to 700 nm). The dichroic mirror 53 achieves inspection light reflection and visible light transmission with the shortest attenuation. The position and orientation of the dichroic mirror 53 are adjusted so as to reflect the inspection light in the direction of the wafer W and transmit visible light in the direction of the mirror 54.

[0033] Mirror 54 reflects visible light that has passed through the dichroic mirror 53. The position and orientation of mirror 54 are adjusted so that incident light is reflected in the direction of the dichroic mirror 53. The light reflected by mirror 54 is then reflected by the dichroic mirror 53 in the direction of the splitter 55.

[0034] The splitter 55 transmits incident light in the direction of incidence and splits it in a direction perpendicular to the direction of incidence. For example, the splitter 55 is formed by joining the bevels of two right-angle prisms. Light incident on the splitter 55 from the direction of the dichroic mirror 53 is split toward the camera 66 and incident on the camera 66. As a result, the camera 66 can image the visible light that has passed through the dichroic mirror 53 and been reflected by the mirror 54.

[0035] The white light source 56 emits strong white light. The white light source 56 may be, for example, a light-emitting diode (LED) or a semiconductor laser (LD). In this embodiment, the white light source 56 is assumed to be an LED light source.

[0036] The aperture substrate 57 forms a predetermined pattern in the strong white light irradiated from the white light source 56. The aperture substrate 57 may, for example, be a multilayer pure chromium substrate with a thickness of 2000 Å. The multilayer pure chromium substrate, which is an example of the aperture substrate 57, may have a predetermined pattern processed by dry etching. In this embodiment, the aperture substrate 57 forms a dot pattern containing multiple dots by dividing the strong white light into multiple dots. Hereinafter, the dot pattern formed in the strong white light will be referred to as the "projection pattern".

[0037] The strong white light emitted from the white light source 56, which forms a projection pattern on the aperture substrate 57, is incident on the splitter 55. The splitter 55 transmits the incident strong white light in the direction of the wafer W and splits it in the direction of the mirror 58.

[0038] The mirror 58 reflects the strong white light that has been split by the splitter 55. The mirror 58 is positioned and positioned so that the incident light is reflected in the direction of the splitter 55. The light reflected by the mirror 58 passes through the splitter 55 and enters the camera 66. This allows the camera 66 to image the strong white light that has been split by the splitter 55.

[0039] The mirror 58 is adjusted perpendicular to the reference plane R, which is used as the reference for measuring parallelism. The reference plane R is the XY plane containing the tip of the probe 22. Hereinafter, the dot pattern contained in the reflected light will be referred to as the "reflection pattern".

[0040] The bandpass filter 59 is placed between the splitter 55 and the dichroic mirror 53. The bandpass filter 59 is configured to transmit only the wavelength corresponding to the first color. The first color can be any color, but for example, it may be blue. The bandpass filter 59 transmits only the component of the first color from the strong white light that has passed through the splitter 55. In other words, the bandpass filter 59 colors the strong white light on which the projection pattern is formed with the first color.

[0041] The projection pattern colored with the first color is reflected by the wafer W and incident again on the splitter 55. The projection pattern reflected by the wafer W is an example of the first reflection pattern. The first reflection pattern incident on the splitter 55 is branched toward the camera 66 and incident on the camera 66. As a result, the camera 66 is able to capture an image including the first reflection pattern colored with the first color.

[0042] The bandpass filter 60 is placed between the splitter 55 and the mirror 58. The bandpass filter 60 is configured to transmit only the wavelength corresponding to the second color. The second color can be any color, but red is one example. The bandpass filter 60 transmits only the component of the second color from the strong white light split by the splitter 55. In other words, the bandpass filter 60 colors the strong white light on which the projection pattern is formed with the second color.

[0043] The strong white light colored with the second color is reflected by the mirror 58 and enters the splitter 55 again. The projection pattern reflected by the mirror 58 is an example of the second reflection pattern. The second reflection pattern that enters the splitter 55 is branched toward the camera 66 and enters the camera 66. As a result, the camera 66 can capture an image that includes the second reflection pattern colored with the second color.

[0044] The first color and the second color can be arbitrarily selected as long as they are different colors. However, from the viewpoint of distinguishing the first reflection pattern and the second reflection pattern in an image captured by the camera 66, it is preferable that the difference in hue between the first color and the second color is large. In the present embodiment, an example is shown in which blue is used as the first color and red is used as the second color, but the first color and the second color may be reversed, and at least one of the first color or the second color may be a different color.

[0045] The dark-field illumination 61 obliquely illuminates the tip end of the ferrule 51. The dark-field illumination 61 enables observation of the irradiation position of a beam emitted from the ferrule 51 (specifically, the lens of the ferrule 51). At the same time, the dark-field illumination 61 enables observation of foreign matter adhering to the tip end of the ferrule 51 (specifically, the lens of the ferrule 51).

[0046] The dark-field illumination 62 obliquely illuminates the back surface of the wafer W. The dark-field illumination 62 enables observation of a projection pattern projected onto the wafer W. At the same time, the dark-field illumination 62 enables observation of foreign matter adhering to the back surface of the wafer W (specifically, the connector C of the device D).

[0047] The support frame 63 is provided at the upper end of the irradiation device 50. The support frame 63 comes into contact with the wafer W when the irradiation device 50 is lifted in the vertical direction. During inspection, the probe 22 is brought into contact with the device D from the front surface of the wafer W, so the support frame 63 functions as a mini chuck that supports the load when the probe 22 comes into contact with the device D from the back surface of the wafer W.

[0048] The heater 64 is provided inside the support frame 63. The heater 64 heats the wafer W via the surface of the support frame 63. For example, the heater 64 is provided near the upper end of the support frame 63, and is configured to heat the wafer W when the irradiation device 50 is present in the vicinity of the wafer W. The heater 64 may be provided outside the irradiation device 50. In this case, the heater 64 may be configured by an indirect heating device using laser, radiant heat, or the like.

[0049] The cooling unit 65 is provided inside the support frame 63. The cooling unit 65 cools the wafer W via the surface of the support frame 63. The cooling unit 65 is provided, for example, at any position other than the upper end of the support frame 63 and is configured to cool the wafer W when the irradiation device 50 is in the vicinity of the wafer W. The cooling unit 65 may also be provided outside the irradiation device 50. In this case, the cooling unit 65 may be configured as an indirect cooling device using air or the like.

[0050] The irradiation device 50 may be equipped with a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the wafer W. The temperature sensor may be located outside the irradiation device 50. For example, the temperature sensor may be located on the mounting table 31. The irradiation device 50 adjusts the temperature of the wafer W by controlling the heater 64 and the cooling unit 65.

[0051] Camera 66 captures the light incident from the splitter 55. The image captured by camera 66 is input to the control device 67.

[0052] Camera 66 captures an image including the irradiation position of the inspection light (specifically, the lens of the ferrule 51) and the position of connector C. Camera 66 captures the irradiation position of the inspection light by observing the light that passes through the dichroic mirror 53 and is reflected by the mirror 54. Camera 66 may also capture the irradiation position of the inspection light by observing light other than the inspection light irradiated from the ferrule 51. Camera 66 may also capture the irradiation position of the inspection light by observing the illumination light irradiated from the dark-field illumination 61 and reflected by the ferrule 51. Camera 66 captures the position of connector C by observing the illumination light irradiated from the dark-field illumination 62 and reflected by the wafer W.

[0053] The light reflected by the mirror 54 and the illumination light reflected by the wafer W are combined by the splitter 55 and incident on the camera 66. Therefore, the camera 66 can simultaneously image the irradiation position of the inspection light and the position of the connector C. The image captured by the camera 66 superimposes the irradiation position of the inspection light and the position of the connector C.

[0054] Camera 66 captures an image including a first reflection pattern and a second reflection pattern. Camera 66 captures an image including a first reflection pattern by observing the reflected light that is irradiated from the white light source 56, passes through the splitter 55, and is reflected by the wafer W. Camera 66 captures an image including a second reflection pattern by observing the strongly white light that is irradiated from the white light source 56, split by the splitter 55, and reflected by the mirror 58.

[0055] The strong white light reflected by the mirror 58 and the reflected light reflected by the wafer W are combined by the splitter 55 and incident on the camera 66. Therefore, the camera 66 can simultaneously capture images of the first reflection pattern and the second reflection pattern. The image captured by the camera 66 has the first reflection pattern and the second reflection pattern superimposed on it.

[0056] The control device 67 is an information processing device that controls the operation of the irradiation device 50. The functions of the control device 67 may be realized by any hardware, software, or a combination thereof. For example, the control device 67 may be composed of a computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), non-volatile auxiliary storage device, and various input / output interfaces. The control device 67 realizes various functions by executing various programs stored in the ROM or non-volatile auxiliary storage device on the CPU.

[0057] The control device 67 is located at any position on the inspection device 1. The control device 67 may be located outside the irradiation device 50 and electrically connected to the irradiation device 50. The control device 67 may be built into the irradiation device 50. The control device 67 may be integrated into the controller 90.

[0058] The control device 67 acquires images captured by the camera 66. The controller 90 performs various inspection tasks based on the images acquired from the camera 66.

[0059] For example, the control device 67 determines whether or not the inspection light is shining on the connector C. The control device 67 determines whether or not the inspection light is shining on the connector C based on an image that includes the position of the inspection light and the position of the connector C. The control device 67 determines whether or not the inspection light is shining on the connector C based on the difference between the position of the inspection light and the position of the connector C.

[0060] For example, the control device 67 detects foreign matter attached to the ferrule 51. The control device 67 detects foreign matter attached to the ferrule 51 based on an image captured of the illumination light irradiated from the dark-field illumination 61 and reflected by the ferrule 51. In addition, if foreign matter is attached to the ferrule 51, the control device 67 may perform control to clean the ferrule 51.

[0061] For example, the control device 67 detects foreign matter attached to the wafer W (specifically, the connector C of device D). The control device 67 detects foreign matter attached to the wafer W based on an image captured of the illumination light irradiated from the dark-field illumination 62 and reflected by the wafer W. In addition, if foreign matter is attached to the wafer W, the control device 67 may perform control to clean the wafer W.

[0062] For example, the control device 67 measures the parallelism between the wafer W and the reference surface R. The control device 67 measures the parallelism between the wafer W and the reference surface R based on an image including a first reflection pattern and a second reflection pattern. The control device 67 measures the parallelism between the wafer W and the reference surface R based on the difference between the first reflection pattern and the second reflection pattern. The control device 67 may also measure the parallelism between the probe card 21 and the reference surface R.

[0063] <Operation of the Irradiation Device> Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the operation of irradiating a device with inspection light. As shown in Figure 3, when irradiating a device with inspection light, the ferrule 51 irradiates the device with inspection light (for example, a beam with a wavelength of 1300 nm). The inspection light irradiated from the ferrule 51 is reflected in the direction of the wafer W by the dichroic mirror 53. If the irradiation position of the ferrule 51 and the connector C of the device D are properly aligned, the inspection light enters the device D through the connector C, and the predetermined inspection can be performed.

[0064] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating a first example of the operation for imaging the irradiation position of the inspection light. Figure 4 shows an example of the operation for imaging the irradiation position of the inspection light by observing the illumination light emitted from the dark-field illumination 61. As shown in Figure 4, when imaging the irradiation position of the inspection light, the dark-field illumination 61 may illuminate the tip of the ferrule 51 from an oblique angle. The illumination light emitted from the dark-field illumination 61 is reflected by the tip of the ferrule 51 (specifically, the lens of the ferrule 51) and passes through the dichroic mirror 53. The illumination light that has passed through the dichroic mirror 53 is reflected by the mirror 54, reflected vertically downward by the dichroic mirror 53, and incident on the splitter 55. A portion of the light incident on the splitter 55 is branched in the direction of the camera 66. As a result, the camera 66 can capture an image that includes the beam emitted from the ferrule 51 (i.e., the irradiation position of the inspection light).

[0065] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating a second example of the operation for imaging the irradiation position of the inspection light. Figure 5 shows an example of the operation for imaging the irradiation position of the inspection light by observing light other than the inspection light irradiated from the ferrule 51. As shown in Figure 5, when imaging the irradiation position of the inspection light, the ferrule 51 may irradiate light that is a mixture of inspection light (for example, a beam with a wavelength of 1300 nm) and visible light (for example, blue light with a wavelength of 430 to 490 nm). The visible light irradiated from the ferrule 51 is transmitted through the dichroic mirror 53 and reflected by the mirror 54. At this time, the inspection light irradiated from the ferrule 51 is reflected in the direction of the wafer W by the dichroic mirror 53. The visible light reflected by the mirror 54 is reflected vertically downward by the dichroic mirror 53 and incident on the splitter 55. A portion of the light incident on the splitter 55 is branched in the direction of the camera 66. This allows the camera 66 to capture an image that includes the lens of the ferrule 51 (i.e., the irradiation position of the inspection light).

[0066] Figure 6 illustrates an example of the operation for imaging the position of a connector. As shown in Figure 6, when imaging the position of a connector, the dark-field illuminator 62 illuminates the back surface of the wafer W from an oblique angle. The illumination light emitted from the dark-field illuminator 62 is reflected by the back surface of the wafer W, passes through the dichroic mirror 53, and enters the splitter 55. A portion of the light that enters the splitter 55 is branched towards the camera 66. This allows the camera 66 to capture an image that includes the back surface of the wafer W (which includes the connector C of device D).

[0067] Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the operation for measuring parallelism. As shown in Figure 7, when measuring parallelism, a white light source 56 emits strong white light. The strong white light emitted from the white light source 56 forms a projection pattern on the aperture substrate 57. The strong white light with the projection pattern is transmitted in the direction of the wafer W by the splitter 55 and split in the direction of the mirror 58.

[0068] The strong white light transmitted in the direction of the wafer W is colored with a first color (for example, blue) by the bandpass filter 59. The projection pattern colored with the first color is reflected by the wafer W and incident on the splitter 55 again. A portion of the light incident on the splitter 55 is branched in the direction of the camera 66. As a result, the camera 66 can capture an image that includes the projection pattern reflected by the wafer W (i.e., the first reflected pattern).

[0069] Furthermore, it is desirable that the coloring by the bandpass filter 59 is the color of the wavelength transmitted through the dichroic mirror 53. Also, if a portion of the light colored by the bandpass filter 59 is reflected by the dichroic mirror 53 towards the mirror 54, it is preferable to provide a shutter mechanism between the dichroic mirror 53 and the mirror 54 so that the first reflection pattern consists only of light reflected by the wafer W.

[0070] Furthermore, the strong white light that branches towards the mirror 58 is colored with a second color (for example, red) by the bandpass filter 60. The projection pattern colored with the second color is reflected by the mirror 58 and incident on the splitter 55 again. A portion of the light incident on the splitter 55 is transmitted towards the camera 66. As a result, the camera 66 can capture an image that includes the projection pattern reflected by the mirror 58 (i.e., the second reflected pattern).

[0071] <Details of the Irradiation Position Confirmation Method> The method for confirming the irradiation position using the irradiation device 50 will be explained with reference to Figures 8 and 9. In Figures 8 and 9, the configuration of the irradiation device 50 is shown in a simplified manner in order to explain the operating principle of the irradiation device 50.

[0072] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating a first example of the irradiation position confirmation method. Figure 8 shows an outline of the operation for imaging the irradiation position of the inspection light shown in Figure 4, and the image P1 captured by the camera 66. As shown in Figure 8, the illumination light irradiated from the dark-field illumination 61 is reflected by the microlens array of the ferrule 51, passes through the dichroic mirror 53, is reflected by the mirror 54 and the dichroic mirror 53, and is imaged by the camera 66. On the other hand, the illumination light irradiated from the dark-field illumination 62 is reflected by the device connector formed on the wafer W, passes through the dichroic mirror 53, and is imaged by the camera 66.

[0073] Image P1 captures the edge P11 of the device's connector. Image P1 also captures the edges P12 of each lens included in the microlens array. For visibility, only representative connectors and lenses are labeled in Image P1. A smaller difference between the connector edge P11 and the lens edge P12 indicates that the inspection light is accurately illuminating the connector.

[0074] The control device 67 of the irradiation device 50 controls the stage 52 so that the difference between the lens edge P11 and the connector edge P12 in image P1 is reduced. In this way, the irradiation device 50 can adjust the position and orientation of the ferrule 51 so that the inspection light is accurately irradiated onto the connector.

[0075] Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating a second example of the irradiation position confirmation method. Figure 9 shows an outline of the operation for imaging the irradiation position of the inspection light shown in Figure 5, and the image P2 captured by the camera 66. As shown in Figure 9, a multiplexer 71 is connected to the ferrule 51, and an infrared light source 72 and a visible light source 73 are connected to the multiplexer 71. The infrared light source 72 is a light source for the inspection light, which is near-infrared. The visible light source 73 is, for example, a blue light source. The ferrule 51 irradiates a beam which is a mixture of inspection light and visible light. Of the beam irradiated from the ferrule 51, the inspection light is reflected by the dichroic mirror 53, and only the visible light is transmitted through the dichroic mirror 53. The visible light transmitted through the dichroic mirror 53 is reflected by the mirror 54 and the dichroic mirror 53 and is imaged by the camera 66. Meanwhile, the illumination light emitted from the dark-field illuminator 62 is reflected by the device connector formed on the wafer W, passes through the dichroic mirror 53, and is imaged by the camera 66.

[0076] Image P2 captures the edge P21 of the device connector. Image P2 also captures the visible light beam P22 emitted from the ferrule 51. For clarity, only representative connectors and beams are labeled in Image P2. A smaller distance between the center of the connector edge P21 and the beam P22 indicates more accurate illumination of the connector by the inspection light.

[0077] The control device 67 of the irradiation device 50 controls the stage 52 so that the distance between the center of the connector edge P21 and the beam P22 is reduced in image P2. In this way, the irradiation device 50 can adjust the position and orientation of the ferrule 51 so that the inspection light is accurately irradiated onto the connector.

[0078] <Details of the parallelism measurement method> The parallelism measurement method using the irradiation device 50 will be explained with reference to Figures 10 and 11. Figures 10 and 11 show an example of an image captured by the camera 66 when the wafer W and the reference plane R are not parallel.

[0079] Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating a first example of a parallelism measurement method. As shown in Figure 10, when the wafer W and the reference plane R are not parallel, the center position O1 of the dot D1 included in the first reflection pattern and the center position O2 of the dot D2 included in the second reflection pattern are at different positions. Furthermore, the greater the inclination of the wafer W with respect to the reference plane R, the greater the distance L1 between the center position O1 and the center position O2.

[0080] Therefore, for each dot included in the image captured by the camera 66, the tilt of the wafer W with respect to the reference plane R can be detected by calculating the distance between the center positions of the dots included in the first reflection pattern and the dots included in the second reflection pattern. Furthermore, the parallelism between the wafer W and the reference plane R can be measured based on the magnitude of the tilt detected for each dot. In this embodiment, the greater the distance between the center positions, the greater the tilt of the wafer W with respect to the reference plane R, and the lower the parallelism between the wafer W and the reference plane R.

[0081] Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating a second example of a parallelism measurement method. As shown in Figure 11, when the wafer W and the reference plane R are not parallel, the overlapping area between dot D1 in the first reflection pattern and dot D2 in the second reflection pattern becomes smaller. Since dot D1 is colored with a first color C1 (e.g., blue) and dot D2 is colored with a second color C2 (e.g., red), the overlapping area between dot D1 and dot D2 is imaged with a mixture of the first color C1 and the second color C2, C3 (e.g., purple).

[0082] Therefore, the inclination of the wafer W with respect to the reference surface R can be detected by calculating the area of ​​the mixture of the first color and the second color for each dot in the image captured by the camera 66. Furthermore, the parallelism between the wafer W and the reference surface R can be measured based on the magnitude of the inclination detected for each dot. In this embodiment, the smaller the area of ​​the color mixture, the greater the inclination of the wafer W with respect to the reference surface R, and the lower the parallelism between the wafer W and the reference surface R.

[0083] <Inspection Method Flow> The inspection method performed by the inspection device 1 according to this embodiment will be explained with reference to Figure 12. Figure 12 is a flowchart of an example of the inspection method.

[0084] In step S1, the controller 90 of the inspection apparatus 1 controls the loading of the wafer W to be inspected into the inspection chamber 12 of the inspection unit 10. Specifically, the controller 90 controls the loader 13 to take the wafer W to be inspected from the FOUP set on the loader 13 and place it on the mounting table 31 of the stage 30. The controller 90 also controls the mounting table operation unit 32 to move the wafer W placed on the mounting table 31 to a predetermined inspection position.

[0085] In step S2, the controller 90 of the inspection apparatus 1 controls the horizontal alignment of the probe card 21 and the wafer W. Specifically, the controller 90 images the probe card 21 with the stage-side camera 19 and recognizes the position of each probe 22 on the probe card 21. The controller 90 also images the wafer W with the inspection-side camera 29 and recognizes the position of the inspection pads formed on the wafer W. The controller 90 then controls the mounting stage operation unit 32 so that each probe 22 on the probe card 21 faces the inspection pads.

[0086] In step S3, the controller 90 of the inspection apparatus 1 controls the irradiation device 50 to measure the parallelism between the wafer W and the reference surface R. The control device 67 of the irradiation device 50 measures the parallelism between the wafer W and the reference surface R according to the control from the controller 90.

[0087] Specifically, the irradiation device 50 irradiates the wafer W with strong white light from a white light source 56 and captures an image including a first reflection pattern and a second reflection pattern using a camera 66. Based on the image captured by the camera 66, the irradiation device 50 measures the parallelism between the wafer W and the reference surface R. If the wafer W and the reference surface R are not parallel, the controller 90 controls the mounting stage operating unit 32 so that the wafer W and the reference surface R become parallel.

[0088] In step S4, the controller 90 of the inspection apparatus 1 controls the irradiation device 50 so that the inspection light is irradiated onto the connector C of the device D formed on the wafer W. The control device 67 of the irradiation device 50 determines whether or not the inspection light is irradiated onto the connector C according to the control from the controller 90.

[0089] Specifically, the irradiation device 50 irradiates the ferrule 51 with illumination light from the dark-field illuminator 61. Alternatively, the irradiation device 50 irradiates the ferrule 51 with a beam that is a mixture of inspection light and visible light. The irradiation device 50 also irradiates the wafer W with illumination light from the dark-field illuminator 62. The irradiation device 50 captures an image including the irradiation position of the inspection light and the position of the connector C using the camera 66. Based on the image captured by the camera 66, the irradiation device 50 determines whether or not the inspection light is irradiating the connector C. If the inspection light is not irradiating the connector C, the irradiation device 50 controls the stage 52 so that the inspection light is irradiated to the connector C.

[0090] In step S5, the controller 90 of the inspection device 1 controls the illumination device 50 to determine the cleanliness of the lenses of the ferrule 51. The control device 67 of the illumination device 50 detects foreign matter attached to the microlens array of the ferrule 51 according to the control from the controller 90. Specifically, the illumination device 50 detects foreign matter attached to each lens of the ferrule 51 based on an image captured of the illumination light irradiated onto the ferrule 51 from the dark-field illumination 61. If foreign matter is detected on any lens, the illumination device 50 notifies the device accordingly. The illumination device 50 may also be provided with means for cleaning foreign matter attached to the lenses, and if foreign matter is detected on any lens, the device may clean the foreign matter attached to the lens.

[0091] Furthermore, the controller 90 of the inspection device 1 controls the irradiation device 50 to determine the cleanliness of the connector C of the device D formed on the wafer W. The control device 67 of the irradiation device 50 detects foreign matter attached to the connector C of the device D according to the control from the controller 90. Specifically, the irradiation device 50 detects foreign matter attached to the connector C of each device D formed on the wafer W based on an image captured of the illumination light irradiated onto the back surface of the wafer W from the dark-field illumination 62. If foreign matter is detected from any of the connector C, the irradiation device 50 notifies the device of this fact. The irradiation device 50 may also be provided with means for cleaning the foreign matter attached to the connector C, and if foreign matter is detected from any of the connector C, the foreign matter attached to the connector C may be cleaned.

[0092] In step S6, the controller 90 of the inspection apparatus 1 controls the tester 20 to inspect the wafer W. First, the controller 90 raises the mounting table 31 vertically and places the wafer W in close proximity to the probe card 21. At this stage, the wafer W is prevented from coming into contact with each probe 22 of the probe card 21. This is because if each probe 22 comes into contact with the wafer W, the wafer W may bend under the load of each probe 22.

[0093] Next, the controller 90 raises the irradiation device 50 vertically, bringing the upper end of the support frame 63 of the irradiation device 50 into contact with the wafer W. At this time, the irradiation device 50 may adjust the temperature of the wafer W by controlling the heater 64 or the cooling unit 65.

[0094] Next, the controller 90 instructs the irradiation device 50 to perform the test. The control device 67 of the irradiation device 50 irradiates the ferrule 51 with inspection light according to the control from the controller 90. The inspection light irradiated from the ferrule 51 is directed onto the connector C of the device D. The device D outputs an electrical signal to the probe 22 corresponding to the inspection light received by the connector C. The tester 20 can recognize the quality and characteristics of each device D based on the electrical signal acquired via the probe 22. The controller 90 performs the inspection on all devices D formed on the wafer W.

[0095] In optical component inspection, the connector position of the device may change due to thermal fluctuations or vibrations of the inspection equipment during inspection, which can cause the inspection light to no longer irradiate the connector. In this embodiment, the inspection device 1 observes both the irradiation position of the inspection light and the connector position of the device, even during inspection. Therefore, the stage 52 can track changes in the connector position due to thermal fluctuations or vibrations of the inspection equipment, and adjust the irradiation position of the inspection light to match the connector position of the device.

[0096] In step S7, the controller 90 of the inspection apparatus 1 controls the removal of the inspected wafer W from the inspection chamber 12 of the inspection unit 10. Specifically, the controller 90 controls the mounting table operating unit 32 so that the wafer W placed on the mounting table 31 moves to a predetermined removal position. The controller 90 also controls the loader 13 so that the inspected wafer W is removed from the stage 30 and placed into the FOUP set on the loader 13.

[0097] [Modified Version] The irradiation device according to the above embodiment can be applied to the inspection of optical components having optical connectors on their sides. In this modified version, an irradiation device capable of irradiating an optical connector provided on the side of an optical component with inspection light will be described.

[0098] <Configuration of the Inspection Device> The configuration of the inspection device according to the modified example will be explained with reference to Figure 13. Figure 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the inspection device according to the modified example.

[0099] In this modified example, the inspection device 1B is a device for inspecting a chip CP, which is an example of an object to be inspected. The inspection chamber 12 of the inspection unit 10 houses a stage 30. The stage 30 places the chip CP on it and transports the chip CP to a desired three-dimensional position. The stage 30 includes a mounting table 31 on which the chip CP is placed, and a mounting table operating unit 32 that moves the mounting table 31. The mounting table 31 is fixed to the upper surface of the mounting table operating unit 32.

[0100] A probe card 21 is positioned above the testing chamber 12. The probe card 21 has multiple probes 22 positioned opposite the chip CP. Each probe 22 contacts the testing pads, etc., on the chip CP when the chip CP is moved by the stage 30. The probe card 21 is connected via an interface 23 to a tester that outputs various signals to the chip CP.

[0101] An illumination device 50B is positioned to the side of the stage 30. The illumination device 50B is held on the upper surface of the stage 80. The stage 80 controls the position and orientation of the illumination device 50B, which is fixed to the upper surface. Specifically, the stage 80 is a six-axis stage capable of independently controlling three translational axes (X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis) and three rotational axes (roll axis, pitch axis, yaw axis).

[0102] The irradiation device 50B is positioned by the stage 80 to irradiate the chip CP, which is placed on the stage 30, with inspection light from the side. This allows the inspection device 1B to simultaneously perform electrical inspection from the vertical direction using the probe 22 and optical inspection from the horizontal direction using the irradiation device 50B.

[0103] <Configuration of Irradiation Device> Figure 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of an irradiation device according to a modified example. As shown in Figure 14, the irradiation device 50B, like the irradiation device 50 according to the embodiment, includes a ferrule 51, a dichroic mirror 53, a half mirror 54, a splitter 55, a white light source 56, an aperture substrate 57, a mirror 58, a bandpass filter 59, a bandpass filter 60, a dark-field illumination 62, a camera 66, and a control device 67. The irradiation device 50B further includes a panel-mount connector 81, a spatial light modulator 82 (SLM), a spot size converter 83 (SSC), and a camera 84.

[0104] Note that the panel-mount connector 81 is an example of a connection part. The spatial light modulator 82 and spot size converter 83 are examples of a correction unit. The camera 84 is an example of a second imaging unit.

[0105] A ferrule 51 is attached to the panel-mount connector 81. The panel-mount connector 81 fixes the tip of the ferrule 51 so that the inspection light emitted from the ferrule 51 enters the spatial light modulator 82. In this modified example, the ferrule 51 may be configured to emit both an expanding beam and a converging beam.

[0106] The spatial light modulator 82 corrects the irradiation position of the inspection light. The spatial light modulator 82 corrects the irradiation position of the inspection light so that the inspection light emitted from the ferrule 51 is incident on the connector C provided on the side of the chip CP. The spatial light modulator 82 may also correct the irradiation position of the inspection light by at least one of beam shaping, phase correction, or wavefront correction. The inspection light corrected by the spatial light modulator 82 is output in the direction of the spot size converter 83.

[0107] The irradiation device 50B may be equipped with a deformable mirror (DM) instead of the spatial light modulator 82. Alternatively, the irradiation device 50B may be equipped with a deformable mirror in addition to the spatial light modulator 82.

[0108] The spot size converter 83 corrects the irradiation range of the inspection light. The spatial light modulator 82 corrects the irradiation range of the inspection light so that the inspection light emitted from the ferrule 51 enters the inside of the connector C provided on the side of the chip CP. The inspection light corrected by the spot size converter 83 enters the dichroic mirror 53.

[0109] The dichroic mirror 53 reflects the inspection light toward the chip CP and transmits the visible light toward the half mirror 54. The inspection light reflected by the dichroic mirror 53 is irradiated onto the chip CP. Since the inspection light has been corrected by the spatial light modulator 82 and the spot size converter 83, it is incident on the connector C provided on the side of the chip CP with high precision.

[0110] Camera 84 captures an image of visible light transmitted through the half-mirror 54. The visible light image captured by camera 84 is input to control device 67. Based on the visible light image, control device 67 adjusts at least one of the spatial light modulator 82 or the spot size converter 83.

[0111] The irradiation device 50B can adaptively adjust the irradiation position and range of the inspection light based on the image captured by the camera 84. For example, when performing an electrical inspection of the chip CP, the probe 22 comes into contact with the inspection pad on the chip CP, causing minute vibrations in the chip CP and potentially shifting the position of the connector C. By adaptively adjusting the irradiation position and range of the inspection light, the irradiation device 50B can track minute fluctuations in the position of the connector C and accurately irradiate the inspection light.

[0112] The illumination device 50B includes a communication module 85. The communication module 85 integrates a half mirror 54, a dark-field illuminator 62, a panel-mount connector 81, a spatial light modulator 82, and a spot size converter 83. The communication module 85 is configured to be detachable from the main body portion 86 of the illumination device 50B, which includes a camera 66. The position and angle of each of the components located inside the communication module 85—the half mirror 54, the dark-field illuminator 62, the panel-mount connector 81, the spatial light modulator 82, and the spot size converter 83—are adjustable. The illumination device 50B can be easily adjusted so that the inspection light emitted from the ferrule 51 is directed onto the connector C of the chip CP by replacing the communication module 85 with an appropriate one depending on the operating environment.

[0113] Furthermore, the modified irradiation device 50B can be applied to the inspection device 1 according to the embodiment. Also, the irradiation device 50 according to the embodiment can be applied to the modified inspection device 1B.

[0114] <Effects of the Embodiment> The irradiation device 50 according to this embodiment includes a ferrule 51 that irradiates a device D with inspection light, a dark-field illuminator 62 that irradiates the connector C of the device D with illumination light, a camera 66 that captures images of the irradiation position of the inspection light and the position of the connector C, and a control device 67 that determines whether or not the inspection light is irradiating the connector C based on the image captured by the camera 66. In one aspect, according to this embodiment, it is possible to determine whether or not the inspection light is irradiating the connector.

[0115] The irradiation device 50 may further include a dichroic mirror 53 that reflects the inspection light toward the device D and transmits light other than the inspection light. In one respect, according to this embodiment, the irradiation device 50 can be constructed with fewer parts and its size can be reduced.

[0116] The camera 66 may image the irradiation position of the inspection light by observing the light that is irradiated from the ferrule 51 and transmitted through the dichroic mirror 53. In one aspect, according to this embodiment, the irradiation position of the inspection light can be imaged while the inspection light is irradiated onto the device D.

[0117] The illumination device 50 may further include a dark-field illumination 61 that illuminates the ferrule 51 with a second illumination light. The camera 66 may image the illumination position of the inspection light by observing the second illumination light that has been reflected by the ferrule 51 and passed through the dichroic mirror 53. In one aspect, according to this embodiment, the illumination position of the inspection light can be imaged while the inspection light is being illuminated onto the device D.

[0118] The control device 67 may detect foreign matter adhering to the ferrule 51 based on the image captured by the second illumination light. In one aspect, according to this embodiment, the cleanliness of the ferrule 51 can be determined while capturing the irradiation position of the inspection light.

[0119] The camera 66 may capture an image of the position of connector C by observing the illumination light reflected by connector C of device D. In one aspect, according to this embodiment, the position of connector C can be captured simultaneously with the irradiation position of the inspection light.

[0120] The control device 67 may detect foreign matter attached to the connector C based on the image captured by the illumination light. In one aspect, according to this embodiment, the cleanliness of the connector C can be determined while capturing an image of the position of the connector C.

[0121] The irradiation device 50 may further include a stage 52 for adjusting the position of the ferrule 51. In one respect, according to this embodiment, the irradiation position of the inspection light can be precisely adjusted during inspection, and active alignment can be achieved.

[0122] The irradiation device 50 may further include a white light source 56 and an aperture substrate 57 that project a predetermined pattern onto the wafer W on which the device D is formed and onto a reference surface R. The camera 66 may capture images of a first reflection pattern reflected by the wafer W and a second reflection pattern reflected by the reference surface R. The control device 67 may measure the parallelism between the wafer W and the reference surface R based on the difference between the first reflection pattern and the second reflection pattern. In one respect, according to this embodiment, the parallelism between the wafer W and the reference surface R can be measured with high accuracy.

[0123] The irradiation device 50 may further include a support frame 63 that supports the load of the probe 22, which contacts the device D from the surface of the wafer W having the device D, from the back surface of the wafer W. In one respect, according to this embodiment, deformation of the wafer W caused by contact with the probe 22 can be suppressed, and the device D can be inspected with high accuracy.

[0124] The support frame 63 may include a heater 64 and a cooling unit 65 for adjusting the temperature of the wafer W. In one respect, according to this embodiment, the temperature of the wafer W can be efficiently adjusted while suppressing deformation of the wafer W.

[0125] Device D may be a chip CP with a connector on its side. The ferrule 51 may irradiate the side of the chip CP with inspection light. The dark-field illumination 62 may irradiate the side of the chip CP with illumination light. According to this embodiment, on one side, a device with a connector on its side can be inspected.

[0126] The irradiation device 50 may include a spatial light modulator 82 for correcting the irradiation position of the inspection light, or a spot size converter 83 for correcting the irradiation range of the inspection light. In one respect, according to this embodiment, since the irradiation position or irradiation range of the inspection light can be corrected, the inspection light can be accurately irradiated onto the connector.

[0127] The illumination device 50 integrates a panel-mount connector 81 for connecting the ferrule 51, a dark-field illuminator 62, a spatial light modulator 82, and a spot size converter 83, and may be configured to be separable from the camera 66. In one aspect, according to this embodiment, the inspection light can be easily adjusted to illuminate the connector by replacing the communication module 85 with an appropriate one depending on the operating environment.

[0128] The irradiation device 50 may further include a camera 84 that captures an image including the inspection light. The control device 67 may adjust the spatial light modulator 82 and the spot size converter 83 based on the image captured by the camera 84. In one aspect, according to this embodiment, minute fluctuations in the connector position can be accurately tracked.

[0129] The irradiation device 50 may be held on a stage 80 that can control the position and orientation of the irradiation device 50. In one respect, according to this embodiment, there is no need to provide a mechanism for adjusting the position of the ferrule 51 inside the irradiation device 50, and the irradiation device 50 can be constructed with fewer parts.

[0130] [Supplement] The configuration of the irradiation device 50 in the above-described embodiment is just one example, and at least a part of the processing performed by the control device 67 may be performed by another information processing device connected to the control device 67 in a data communication manner. For example, the other information processing device connected to the control device 67 in a data communication manner may be the controller 90, or it may be a computer that provides cloud services.

[0131] The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The embodiments can be modified and improved in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims. The aspects described in the embodiments above can be otherwise configured and combined in a non-consistent manner.

[0132] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-037895, filed with the Japan Patent Office on 11 March 2025, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-206103, filed on 27 November 2025, which are incorporated herein by reference to their entire contents.

[0133] W Wafer 1 Inspection device 10 Inspection unit 12 Inspection room 13 Loader 14 Suction mechanism 20 Tester 21 Probe card 22 Probe 23 Interface 30 Stage 31 Mounting platform 32 Mounting platform operating unit 50 Irradiation device 51 Ferrule (first irradiation unit) 52 Stage (position adjustment unit) 53 Dichroic mirror (optical element) 56 White light source (projection unit) 57 Aperture substrate (projection unit) 61 Dark-field illumination (third irradiation unit) 62 Dark-field illumination (second irradiation unit) 63 Support frame (support unit) 64 Heater (temperature control unit) 65 Cooling unit (temperature control unit) 66 Camera (imaging unit) 81 Panel mount connector (connection unit) 82 Spatial light modulator (correction unit) 83 Spot size converter (correction unit) 84 Camera (second imaging unit) 90 Controller (control unit)

Claims

1. An illumination device comprising: a first illumination unit that irradiates a device with inspection light; a second illumination unit that irradiates the connector of the device with illumination light; an imaging unit that captures an image including the irradiation position of the inspection light and the position of the connector; and a control unit that determines whether or not the inspection light is irradiating the connector based on the image captured by the imaging unit.

2. The irradiation device according to claim 1, further comprising an optical element that reflects the inspection light toward the device and transmits light other than the inspection light.

3. The irradiation device according to claim 2, wherein the imaging unit captures the irradiation position of the inspection light by observing the light irradiated from the first irradiation unit and transmitted through the optical element.

4. The irradiation device according to claim 2, further comprising a third irradiation unit that irradiates the first irradiation unit with a second illumination light, wherein the imaging unit images the irradiation position of the inspection light by observing the second illumination light that has been reflected by the first irradiation unit and passed through the optical element.

5. The irradiation device according to claim 4, wherein the control unit detects foreign matter adhering to the first irradiation unit based on an image captured by the second illumination light.

6. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the imaging unit captures the position of the connector by observing the illumination light reflected by the connector.

7. The irradiation device according to claim 6, wherein the control unit detects foreign matter adhering to the connector based on an image captured of the illumination light.

8. The irradiation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a position adjustment unit for adjusting the position of the first irradiation unit.

9. The irradiation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a projection unit that projects a predetermined pattern onto a substrate on which the device is formed and a reference surface, wherein the imaging unit images a first reflected pattern obtained by the substrate and a second reflected pattern obtained by the reference surface, and the control unit measures the parallelism between the substrate and the reference surface based on the difference between the first reflected pattern and the second reflected pattern.

10. The irradiation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a support portion that supports the load of a probe in contact with the device from the surface of the substrate having the device, from the back surface of the substrate.

11. The irradiation device according to claim 10, wherein the support portion includes a temperature adjustment portion for adjusting the temperature of the substrate.

12. The irradiation device according to claim 1, wherein the device has the connector on its side, the first irradiation unit irradiates the side of the device with the inspection light, and the second irradiation unit irradiates the side of the device with the illumination light.

13. The irradiation device according to claim 1, further comprising a correction unit for correcting at least one of the irradiation position or irradiation range of the inspection light.

14. The irradiation device according to claim 13, wherein the connecting part for connecting the first irradiation part, the second irradiation part, and the correction part are integrated and configured to be separable from the imaging part.

15. The irradiation device according to claim 13, further comprising a second imaging unit that captures an image including the inspection light, wherein the control unit adjusts the correction unit based on the image captured by the second imaging unit.

16. The irradiation device according to claim 13, wherein the irradiation device is held on a mounting base that can control the position and orientation of the irradiation device.

17. An inspection apparatus for an object being inspected, the object being inspected having a connector into which inspection light is incident, comprising: a mounting table having a mounting surface on which the object being inspected is placed; and an irradiation device for irradiating the object being inspected with inspection light through the mounting surface, wherein the irradiation device comprises: a first irradiation unit for irradiating the device with inspection light; a second irradiation unit for irradiating the connector of the device with illumination light; an imaging unit for capturing an image including the irradiation position of the inspection light and the position of the connector; and a control unit for determining whether or not the inspection light is irradiating the connector based on the image captured by the imaging unit.

18. An inspection method performed by an inspection apparatus for an object having a device formed on which a connector into which inspection light is incident, the inspection apparatus comprising: a mounting table having a mounting surface on which the object to be placed; and an illumination device for irradiating the object to be placed with inspection light through the mounting surface, the inspection method comprising: a step of irradiating the device with the inspection light; a step of irradiating the connector of the device with illumination light; a step of irradiating an image including the irradiation position of the inspection light and the position of the connector; and a step of determining whether or not the inspection light is irradiating the connector based on the image captured in the imaging step.

Images