Semiconductor Inspection Device Using Segmented Contact Probes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor element inspection devices face challenges in ensuring uniform pressure distribution when contacting the semiconductor element, leading to potential misinterpretation of abnormalities due to localized current flow and pressure variations.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor element inspection device equipped with a contacting unit featuring projecting units and a hitting mark detecting unit, which determines the appropriateness of the inspection by analyzing the area of hitting marks on the semiconductor element, allowing for the differentiation between actual semiconductor abnormalities and inspection device-related issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a contacting unit with a contacting side surface is used to plane contact the semiconductor element, then the current carrying capacity is improved, but pressure distribution uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The contacting side surface is divided into multiple projecting units (protrusions) that are spatially separated. Each projecting unit independently contacts the semiconductor element, which segments the pressure application points. This segmentation ensures that pressure is distributed across multiple discrete contact points rather than concentrated at a single plane, thereby maintaining uniform pressure distribution while preserving the overall current carrying capacity of the contacting unit.
2Productivity
If pressure distribution variation is not detected, then the inspection process is simple, but the reliability of abnormality detection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Hitting marks are introduced as an intermediary indicator to indirectly assess pressure distribution uniformity. Instead of directly measuring pressure at multiple points (which would be complex), the system uses hitting marks formed by the projecting units on the semiconductor element surface as a visual mediator. The distribution and uniformity of these hitting marks provide indirect but reliable information about pressure distribution, enabling accurate abnormality detection without complex direct pressure measurement systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor inspection device (1) equipped with a contacting unit (7) having a contacting side surface (7a) electrically contacting a semiconductor element (3), and which inspects the semiconductor element (3) by making the contacting unit (7) electrically contact the semiconductor element (3). The contacting side surface (7a) is provided with a plurality of projecting units (13), and the semiconductor element inspection device (1) is equipped with a hitting mark detecting unit (11) configured to detect hitting marks of the projecting unit (13) transferred to the semiconductor element (3) when the contacting side surface (7a) contacts the semiconductor element (3), and a control unit (17) configured to determine whether or not an inspection of the semiconductor element (3) is performed appropriately, on the basis of the hitting marks detected by the hitting mark detecting unit (11).