JPH0760168B2 - Semiconductor chip characteristic measuring device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a characteristic measuring position of a semiconductor chip by a probing device for inspecting and measuring a semiconductor chip, for example.

[Conventional technology]

The characteristics of integrated circuits and the like are measured and inspected by a probing device at the stage of semiconductor chips. That is, a necessary measurement or the like is performed by bringing a probing needle of a probing device into contact with a bonding pad formed on each semiconductor chip on a semiconductor wafer.

In the semiconductor chip inspection process, the probing needle comes into contact with the bonding pad every time probing is performed, so that a needle mark remains on the Al portion on the bonding pad and this is a kind of damage. Therefore, the number of times of probing is as small as possible, and it is preferable that the number of times is once.

On the other hand, the spacing between adjacent probing needles is 0.1 to 0.15 m.
m and the space between them are very narrow, and there are many cases in which Au bumps or solder bumps on the semiconductor chip are peeled off or adhered, or semiconductor chips are attached to the probing needle. Since the abnormality is removed and the measurement and inspection are repeated, the same chip is probed twice, which deteriorates the bonding property and the reliability, and the yield. In order to detect the above-mentioned semiconductor between the probing needles, leaks due to conductor adhesion, and short-circuit accidents, a detector or probing device or a companion device has been provided with a defect counting circuit to detect the number of defects exceeding the set number. In that case, the probing device is temporarily stopped, the abnormality is removed and the device is operated again, or the measurement inspection is performed again from the beginning.

In the abnormality detection method based on this defect count,
Causes other than probing needle leakage and short circuits, such as defective semiconductor chips themselves, are set to detect abnormalities.Normally, set the number of defectives to 10 to 30 to detect abnormalities and temporarily When it is stopped, it is necessary to determine whether it is due to a leak due to a probing needle, a short circuit, or any other cause. There were problems such as requiring advanced technology.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

As described above, in the conventional semiconductor measuring method, it is not possible to distinguish between the leak and short circuit of the probe card including the probe needle and the characteristics of the chip under test, and it is necessary to make an abnormality detection count that satisfies both of them. When it was detected, there was a problem that it required advanced technology to investigate the cause.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to inspect the leak and short circuit of a probe card including a probing needle and detect the abnormality at an early stage without reducing the throughput, and the cause is clarified. It is an object of the present invention to obtain a semiconductor chip characteristic measuring device that can make a judgment and can easily find the cause.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

A semiconductor chip characteristic measuring device according to the present invention inspects a probe card including a probe needle when the probe needle is not in contact with the bonding pad, determines whether the probe card is leaked or short-circuited, and promptly detects an abnormality of the probe card. It is possible to detect the abnormalities and identify the abnormalities.

[Action]

The semiconductor chip property measuring apparatus according to the present invention is capable of performing a chip measurement inspection after inspecting a probe card including a probe needle for leakage or short circuit before measuring and inspecting a chip on a semiconductor wafer and confirming that there is no abnormality. Done.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main part of an embodiment of a probing device and a measuring device according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, (1) is a probe card, and (2)
Are probing pins, which are electrically connected to (12) measuring device (inspection means) and (13) measuring cable. Further, (3) the chip formed on the semiconductor wafer is mounted on the (4) wafer stage, (5) the wafer stage Zup control signal, (6) the wafer stage X movement control signal, and (7) the wafer stage Y movement control signal. The relative relationship between the probing pins on the card and the chips on the semiconductor wafer is accurately aligned by (8) the probing device controller (control means). This probing device control (8)
Is electrically connected to the measuring device (12) by (9) probe needle open signal, (10) probe needle contact signal, (11) test end signal and test result signal. Inside the measuring device (12), there are prepared (14) probe card leak / short circuit detection program (15) chip characteristic measurement program.

Next, the operation will be described.

In order to measure and inspect the characteristics of the chip (3) formed on the semiconductor wafer, the probing needle (2) attached to the probe card (1) and the relative position of the chip array in the X and Y directions are accurately aligned. . Next, the wafer stage (3) is lowered, and is moved to the first chip position by the wafer stage X movement control signal (6) and the movement control signal (7) according to an instruction from the probing device controller (8). At the start of this movement or during the movement, the probing device controller (8) outputs a probe open signal (9) to the measuring device (12). The measuring device (12) executes the leak and short circuit detection program (14) of the built-in probe card according to the signal. The detection program (14) detects a leak or short circuit between adjacent signals of the probe card (1) including the probing needle (2). Then, by executing the program (14), the test end signal and the test result signal (11) indicating the result of the presence or absence of leakage or short circuit of the probe card (1) including the probing needle (2).
Through the measuring device (12) to the probing device controller (8). At this time, if the test result signal (11) is a result signal indicating leakage or short circuit of the probing needle (2) and the probe card (1), the probing needle abnormality signal indicator lamp (16) is turned on to indicate an abnormality and the operation is temporarily performed. Stop. When the operator temporarily stops, the operator removes the cause of the leak or short circuit of the probe card (1) including the probing needle (2) to confirm the probing needle abnormality signal indicator light (16) and restarts. At this time, the probing needle (2) and the probe card (1) are again triggered by the probe open signal (9) in the same manner as above.
To inspect. If the abnormality is inspected again, the cause of the abnormality is removed repeatedly.

The probing device controller (8) raises the wafer stage (4) in response to the wafer stage Zup control signal when passing the first leak and short circuit inspection and when performing the re-inspection after removing the cause of the abnormality, the probing needle (2). And the chip (3) on the semiconductor wafer are brought into contact with each other. Next, the probing device controller (8) uses the probe needle contact signal (10) to measure the device (12).
Execute the built-in chip characteristic measurement program (15). The quality of the chip under test (3) on the semiconductor wafer is measured based on the execution result, and is sent from the measuring device (12) to the probing device controller (8) through the test end signal and the test result signal (11). If the chip is defective, the chip is inked (not shown). Subsequently, the probing device controller (8) lowers the wafer stage (4) by the wafer stage Zup control signal (5) to release the contact state between the probing needle (2) and the chip (3) on the semiconductor. Then, the probe needle open signal (9) is sent to the measuring device (12), and the wafer stage (4) moves to the next chip to be measured. Upon receiving the probe needle open signal, the measuring device (12) executes the leak and short circuit detection program (14) of the built-in probe card as described above.

After that, in the same manner, inspect the probe card for leaks and short circuits, and repeat the chip measurement.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment at all, and for example, the probe needle open signal (9) and the probe needle contact signal (10) are combined into one series of test start signals and the probe card inspection and chip Since the inspection tests alternately, a test start signal is sent to the measuring device (12) at each time of probe needle opening and probe needle contact, and the measuring device (12) alternately checks the leak short circuit detection program of the probe card (14). Similar results can be obtained by executing the chip characteristic measurement program (15).

Further, in the vicinity of the probing needle (2), a foreign matter removing device (foreign matter removing means) for injecting pressurized air, pressurized gas such as nitrogen, or liquid to the probing needle (2) through a solenoid valve or the like. And the leak short circuit detection program (14), the probing needle (2)
If the inspection result of the leak and short circuit of No. 2 is judged to be abnormal, the chip characteristic measuring program (15) is operated after the foreign matter is removed by injecting in accordance with the command of the probing device controller (8). Each time a leak or short circuit occurs, the probe is paused and the probing needle (2)
It is no longer necessary to move the
There is an effect that can be done quickly and automatically.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, during the horizontal movement of the wafer stage on which the semiconductor wafer is mounted, the inspection means inspects the probing needle for leaks and short circuits. Since it is configured to inject pressurized gas to the probing needle by means of the foreign matter removing means provided in the, it is possible to inspect the probing needle for leaks and short circuits during the movement to the next chip, and to reduce the yield. Not again
The entire measurement can be performed in a short time without taking time only for detecting leaks and short circuits. Further, when it is determined that there is a leak or short circuit abnormality, the foreign matter removing means immediately ejects the foreign matter, so that it is not necessary to move the probing needle each time an abnormality occurs, and the effect of being able to perform the entire measurement in a short time is obtained. is there.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the main part of an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, (1) is a probe card, (2) is a probe needle, (3) is a semiconductor wafer and a chip, (4) is a wafer stage, and (5).
Is a wafer stage Zup control signal, (6) is a wafer stage X movement control signal, (7) is a wafer stage Y movement control signal, (8) is a probing device control, (9) is a probe needle open signal, and (10) is Probe needle contact signal, (1
1) is a test signal and test result signal, (12) is a measuring device, (13) is a measurement cable, (14) is a probe card leak / short circuit detection program, (15) is a chip characteristic measurement program, and (16) is The probing needle abnormality indicator light is shown.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A probing needle of a probing card that abuts a bonding pad of a chip formed on a semiconductor wafer, and a wafer stage on which the semiconductor wafer is mounted and which is moved horizontally and vertically with respect to the mounting surface. And an inspection means for inspecting the leak and short circuit of the probing needle according to the signal from the probing needle, and inspecting the characteristics of the chip when the probing needle and the bonding pad come into contact with each other, and in the vicinity of the probing needle. Foreign matter removing means provided for injecting pressurized gas to the probing needle, and inspection means for inspecting for leak or short circuit of the probing needle during horizontal movement of the wafer stage. Its probing by means The semiconductor chip of characteristic measurement and control means for ejecting Doru the pressurized gas.