JPH03280445A - Probing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to carry out a test measurement of the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device formed on a semiconductor wafer under a normal atmosphere by a method wherein a wafer probing mechanism is provided in a hermetic container. CONSTITUTION:Fans 4 for air taking-in use are rotated, the outside air is taken in through air intakes 2 to clean by filters 3, a cleaned air is made to pass through the interior of a case body 1 and is exhausted to the outside through exhaust vents 5, a down flow of the cleaned air identical with that in a clean room is formed in the case body 1 and the interior of the case body 1 is put in a cleaned atmosphere. A wafer housing box housing chamber 8 for housing a wafer housing box 7, in which semiconductor wafers 6 are housed, is provided in the case body 1 and an elevator mechanism 9 for moving up and down the box 7 is provided in the chamber 8. Each wafer 6 in the box 7 is placed at a prescribed position on a wafer placing stage 10 by a transfer mechanism 14. The stage 10 is driven, probes 11 of probe cards 10 are brought into contact to electrode pads of a semiconductor device formed on each wafer 6 and a test measurement of the electrical characteristics of the device is carried out.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Purpose of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to a probe device.

(Prior Art) As is well known, a large number of semiconductor devices are formed on a semiconductor wafer using a precision phototransfer technique or the like, and then cut into individual semiconductor devices. In the manufacturing process of such semiconductor devices, a probe device has traditionally been used to test and measure the electrical characteristics of a semi-finished semiconductor device in the state of a semiconductor wafer. In order to improve productivity, only the processed products are sent to post-processes such as packaging.

The above-mentioned probe device includes a wafer mounting table configured to be movable in the x-y-z directions, and a probe equipped with a large number of probes corresponding to the electrode pads of the semiconductor device is mounted on the wafer mounting table. The card is fixed. Then, the semiconductor wafer is placed on the wafer mounting table, the wafer mounting table is driven to bring the probe into contact with the electrode of the semiconductor device, and the tester performs the test JPj determination through the probe. .

By the way, in the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices as described above, minute circuit patterns are formed, so if dust is present in the atmosphere, this dust will adhere to semiconductor wafers and the like, causing defects.

For this reason, the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices is usually carried out in a clean room with a downflow of normalized air, the above-mentioned probe device is also installed in the clean room, and the n1 test is carried out in the clean room. . For this reason, conventional probe devices are configured to be installed and used within a clean room, and are equipped with, for example, a large number of circular holes on the top surface of the casing to take in the downflow inside the clean room. is provided.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, as described above, a lean room has a high construction cost per floor area, so it is desired to minimize the number of devices installed in the clean room. Furthermore, since the human body is a source of dust generation, it is desirable to minimize the number of workers and others entering the clean room.

The present invention has been made in response to such conventional circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a probe device capable of performing fiP+ determination of electrical characteristics of semiconductor devices formed on a semiconductor wafer in a normal atmosphere. It is something to do.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problem) That is, the present invention includes a wafer probing mechanism provided in an airtight container, and a wafer probing mechanism provided in the airtight container such that the wafer probing mechanism is set in a clean air atmosphere. It is characterized by comprising a cleaning means.

(Function) As mentioned above, a clean room has a high construction cost per floor area, so it is desirable to minimize the number of devices installed in the clean room. Furthermore, since the human body is a source of dust generation, it is desirable to minimize the number of workers and others entering the clean room.

For this reason, even in the test ΔFl determination of semiconductor devices in the semiconductor wafer state using a probe device, measurements other than test measurements in the normal manufacturing process, such as J) I determination for evaluation in design and process control, etc. It is desirable to perform this outside a clean room.

In the probe apparatus of the present invention, by creating a clean atmosphere inside the apparatus, it is possible to carry out test measurements of such a semiconductor device in the semiconductor wafer state in a normal atmosphere. Note that the semiconductor wafer is housed in a closed container and taken out of the clean room to a normal atmosphere.

(Example) Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the probe device of this embodiment includes:
A casing 1 made of metal or the like and formed into a rectangular shape is provided, and the casing 1 is formed airtight to prevent the inflow of surrounding air containing dust from undesired parts. ing.

Furthermore, a plurality of air intake ports 2 are provided on the top surface of the casing 1 to take in outside air into the casing 1. An air intake fan 4 for forcibly taking in outside air is provided. On the other hand, a plurality of exhaust ports 5 are provided on the bottom surface of the casing 1. Note that an exhaust fan may be provided at the exhaust port 5.

Then, by rotating the air intake fan 4, outside air is taken in from the air intake port 2 as shown by the arrow in the figure, purified by the filter 3, and this purified air is passed through the inside of the casing 1, and is passed through the exhaust port 5. The structure is such that it is discharged to the outside. In other words, a downflow of clean air similar to that in a clean room is formed in the case 1, and the case 1
It is designed to create a clean atmosphere inside.

Further, a wafer storage box storage chamber 8 is provided in the housing 1 for accommodating a wafer storage box 7 configured to accommodate a plurality of semiconductor wafers 6. Inside the storage chamber 8, an elevator mechanism 9 is provided for moving the sea urchin/\ storage box 7 up and down. The wafer storage box storage chamber 8 also includes an opening for loading and unloading the wafer storage box 7 from outside the housing 1, a shutter mechanism configured to airtightly close this opening, and an opening for loading and unloading the wafer storage box 7 from outside the housing 1. Opening/closing mechanism for opening/closing (none shown)
is provided.

Note that the wafer storage box 7 is, for example, as shown in FIG.
It consists of a rectangular box whose interior can be closed airtight, and support grooves 7a formed on opposing walls inside the box allow
Like a wafer cassette or the like, it is configured to support a plurality of semiconductor wafers 6 in the form of a shelf. Further, an opening 7b is provided on the front surface of the wafer storage box 7, and a lid 7C is provided to airtightly close this opening 7b. The lid body 7C is configured to be rotatable about its lower end, for example as indicated by the arrow in the figure, and is provided with locking mechanisms 7d on both sides of its upper part. In addition, this locking mechanism 7
A locking mechanism 7e is provided on the box side corresponding to d, and the locking mechanism 7e is configured to lock the locking mechanism 7d to hold the lid 7c in a closed state. Note that this locking mechanism 78 is configured to be able to be released from the locked state from the outside, for example by disposing a magnet on the outside and releasing the locked state using magnetic force.

Furthermore, a wafer mounting table 10 configured to be movable in the x-y-z directions is provided in the housing 1, and above the wafer mounting table 10, semiconductors formed on the semiconductor wafer 6 are placed. A probe card 12 is provided in which a number of probes 11 are implanted in accordance with the electrode pads of the device. A shutter mechanism 13 is provided between the wafer mounting table 10 and the wafer storage box storage chamber 8, and a shutter mechanism 13 is configured to airtightly close the space between them. 6 is provided.

The probe device of this embodiment having the above configuration is installed in a normal atmosphere outside a clean room. Then, by rotating the air intake fan 4, a downflow of clean air similar to that in a clean room or the like is formed within the housing 1, and the interior of the housing 1 is maintained in a clean atmosphere.

Then, the semiconductor wafer 6 to be measured is stored in a wafer storage box 7 from inside the clean room, carried out in an airtight state under a normal atmosphere, and stored in a wafer storage box storage chamber 8 of the probe device.

Then, the probe device blows clean air onto the wafer storage box 7 in the wafer storage box storage chamber 8 for a predetermined period of time, and uses this clean air flow to remove dust attached to the outside of the wafer storage box 7. As described above, the locking mechanism 7e of the wafer storage box 7 is unlocked using, for example, a magnet, and the lid 7C is opened.

Then, the shutter mechanism 13 is opened, and the semiconductor wafer 6 in the wafer storage box 7 is placed at a predetermined position on the wafer mounting table 10 by the transport mechanism 14.

Thereafter, by driving the wafer mounting table 10, the probes 11 of the probe card 12 are brought into contact with the electrode pads of the semiconductor devices formed on the semiconductor wafer 6 to obtain electrical continuity. Through this probe 11, the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor device are tested and determined.

Then, the semiconductor wafer 6 for which the test measurement has been completed is unloaded into the wafer storage box 7 by the transport mechanism 14.

Thereafter, the wafer storage box 7 is raised by the elevator mechanism 9, and the next semiconductor wafer 6 is placed at the loading position.
Test par 1 of the next semiconductor wafer 6 in the same manner as above procedure.
Make a decision.

In this manner, the probe device of this embodiment is installed in a normal atmosphere and can perform the test lIp+ determination of the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device formed on the semiconductor wafer 6 in the normal atmosphere. Therefore, for example, JFI measurements other than test measurements in normal manufacturing processes, such as measurements for evaluation in design and process control, can be performed in a normal atmosphere using this probe device. It is possible to make effective use of the clean room, which is expensive to construct, and to reduce the number of people entering the clean room for dust-generating work, etc.

In the above embodiment, an example was explained in which the interior of the probe device housing 1 was entirely in a clean atmosphere, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. For example, the movement path of the semiconductor wafer 6 is It may be formed separately from other parts within the housing 1, and only this part may be provided with a clean atmosphere.

In other words, if it is possible to prevent dust from adhering to the semiconductor wafer 6, there is no need to create a clean atmosphere in other parts.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the probe device of the present invention,
Electrical characteristics of semiconductor devices formed on semiconductor wafers can be tested and measured under normal atmosphere.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a probe device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a wafer storage box. 1... Housing, 2... Air intake, 3
... Filter, 4 ... Air intake fan, 5 ... Exhaust port, 6 ... Semiconductor wafer, 7 ... Wafer storage box, 8...Wafer storage box storage chamber, 9...Elevator mechanism, 10
...Wafer mounting table, 11 ... Probe, 1
2...Probe card, 13...Shutter mechanism, 14...Transportation mechanism. Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A probe device comprising: a wafer probing mechanism provided in an airtight container; and a cleaning means provided in the airtight container for setting the wafer probing mechanism in a clean air atmosphere.