Semiconductor Probe Card Circuit Replication for Early Error Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate inspection apparatuses for semiconductor devices cannot detect errors until the devices are mounted on circuit boards, leading to unnecessary waste of resources and time due to the difference in circuit configurations between IC testers and actual mounting configurations.
Innovation Solution
A substrate inspection apparatus with a probe card and test box that replicate the circuit configurations of a function extension card and mother board, respectively, allowing for pre-separation inspection of semiconductor devices, minimizing resource consumption and detecting errors earlier.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If an IC tester is used to inspect semiconductor devices, then inspection can be performed before mounting, but errors cannot be detected that would only appear in the actual mounted state
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a copy of the actual mounting circuit environment (mother board or function extension card circuit configuration) within the inspection apparatus. The probe card and test box reproduce the exact circuit connections and configurations that the semiconductor device will encounter when mounted, allowing errors to be detected in advance without requiring actual mounting.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs the inspection action before the mounting operation by reproducing the mounting circuit environment in advance. The probe card is positioned and connected to the semiconductor device on the wafer before separation, and the test box is configured to match the future mounting configuration, enabling preliminary detection of errors that would only manifest in the mounted state.
2Reliability
If re-inspection is performed after mounting semiconductor devices on mother boards or function extension cards, then errors in the mounted state can be detected, but waste of man-hour and materials occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the inspection action before the mounting operation by reproducing the mounting circuit environment in advance. The probe card is positioned and connected to the semiconductor device on the wafer before separation, and the test box is configured to match the future mounting configuration, enabling preliminary detection of errors that would only manifest in the mounted state.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the actual mounting circuit environment (mother board or function extension card circuit configuration) within the inspection apparatus. The probe card and test box reproduce the exact circuit connections and configurations that the semiconductor device will encounter when mounted, allowing errors to be detected in advance without requiring actual mounting.
3Loss of time
If the circuit configuration of the inspection apparatus matches the actual mounting configuration, then errors can be detected earlier, but the complexity of the inspection apparatus increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the complex circuit configuration into two separate segments: the probe card handles the connection to the semiconductor device and reproduces the function extension card circuit, while the test box reproduces the mother board circuit. This segmentation allows each component to be designed and configured independently, managing the overall complexity while achieving accurate error detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The probe card serves as an intermediary between the semiconductor device and the test box. It reproduces the function extension card circuit configuration and provides the interface that connects the device under test to the test box, which reproduces the mother board configuration. This intermediary structure simplifies the overall system design by breaking down the complex mounting environment into manageable components.
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate inspection apparatus can efficiently inspect electric characteristics of the semiconductor device. A prober 10 includes a probe card 15 having a multiple number of probe needles 17 to be brought into contact with electrodes of a semiconductor device formed on a wafer W; and a test box 14 electrically connected to the probe card 15. A card-side inspection circuit of the probe card 15 reproduces a circuit configuration on which the semiconductor device is to be mounted after separated from the wafer W, e.g., the circuit configuration of a function extension card, and a box-side inspection circuit 21 of the test box 14 reproduces a circuit configuration on which the semiconductor device is to be mounted, e.g., a part of the circuit configuration of the mother board.