Prober Alignment Suppressing Abbe Error
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional probers do not effectively manage the relationship between the draw-out direction of devices and the conveying direction of objects, leading to Abbe error in high-accuracy positioning and inefficient inspection processes.
Innovation Solution
A prober design where the draw-out direction of the device to be maintained and the conveyance direction of the object to be conveyed are aligned on a straight line, allowing for efficient loading from both the conveyance area and maintenance area sides, with a conveyance unit and loading part that adjust based on the object's purpose (inspection or calibration) and environmental requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the draw-out direction of the device to be maintained and the conveyance direction of the object to be conveyed are not aligned, then the devices can be independently positioned, but Abbe error occurs in high-accuracy positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the draw-out direction of the device to be maintained with the conveyance direction of the object to be conveyed by arranging them on the same straight line. This alignment eliminates the need for separate positioning systems and prevents Abbe error by ensuring that both movements occur along a common reference axis, thereby improving positioning accuracy without significantly increasing device complexity.
2Productivity
If the object to be conveyed can only be loaded from one side, then the loading mechanism is simpler, but inspection efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dual-sided loading mechanism where the object to be conveyed can be loaded from both the conveyance area side and the maintenance area side. The loading part is designed to accommodate objects from either direction, enabling flexible loading based on operational requirements. This multi-functional capability improves inspection efficiency by allowing simultaneous or alternating loading operations without significantly complicating the overall device structure.
Data Source
AI summary
Abbe error that needs to be considered in high accuracy positioning of a device to be maintained, is suppressed. A prober includes: a plurality of measurement sections arranged between a conveyance area and a maintenance area, each of the measurement sections having a device to be maintained which is used for inspection of a semiconductor element formed on a wafer, and a draw-out mechanism configured to draw out the device to be maintained to a side of the maintenance area; a conveyance unit configured to convey an object to be conveyed to a destination measurement section; and a loading part configured to load the object to be conveyed from the side of the maintenance area to the measurement section. The object to be conveyed is loadable into the measurement section from a conveyance area side and the maintenance area side.