Substrate crack inspecting method, substrate crack inspection apparatus, and solar battery module manufacturing method

• US 20050097961A1
• Filed: 10/18/2004
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yagi, Katsuyuki, Kanishi, Hiroshi, Kawagoe, Yoshikazu
• Granted Patent: US 7,191,656 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/573
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2697 Wafer or (micro)electronic parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/045 by imparting shocks to the workpiece and detecting the vibrations or the acoustic waves caused by the shocks measuring resonant frequency G01H13/00; measuring strength properties by application of mechanical stress G01N3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/4427 with stored values, e.g. threshold values
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/46 by spectral analysis, e.g. Fourier analysis or wavelet analysis spectral signal processing per se G06F17/14

Abstract

The present invention aims to provide a method for detecting a substrate crack by simple equipment and steps. A substrate crack inspecting method according to the present invention comprises the steps of (1) producing a sound by providing vibration to a substrate, (2) determining a power spectrum by capturing the produced sound and carrying out an acoustic analysis for the captured sound, and (3) judging whether or not a substrate crack exists based on a spectral intensity of a predetermined frequency region.

Claims

1. substrate crack inspecting method comprising the steps of (1) producing a sound by providing vibration for a substrate, (2) determining a power spectrum by capturing the produced sound and carrying out an acoustic analysis for the captured sound, and (3) judging whether or not a substrate crack exists based on a spectral intensity of a predetermined frequency region.

3. The substrate crack inspecting method as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the step of providing vibration for a substrate is a step of providing vibration for a substrate by striking the substrate by an elastic member while supporting a predefined part of the substrate.

4. The substrate crack inspecting method as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the step of providing vibration for a substrate is a step of providing vibration for a peripheral part of a substrate while supporting a center part of the substrate.

5. The substrate crack inspecting method as set forth in claim 4, wherein

the step of supporting a center part of the substrate is a step of supporting a center part of the substrate by use of a vacuum suction pad.

6. The substrate crack inspecting method as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the acoustic analysis is an octave analysis.

7. The substrate crack inspecting method as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the predetermined frequency region is a high-frequency region of 7 KHz or more.

8. The substrate crack inspecting method as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the predetermined frequency region is an audible frequency region of 10 KHz or more and 20 KHz or less.

9. A solar battery module manufacturing method comprising the steps of (1) inspecting a plurality of solar battery cells by the substrate crack inspecting method as set forth in claim 1, selecting solar battery cells without substrate cracks, and (2) electrically connecting the plurality of selected solar battery cells for modularization.

2. A substrate crack inspecting method comprising the steps of (1) providing vibration for a plurality of positions on a substrate in order, and each time vibration is provided, determining a power spectrum by capturing a sound produced by the vibration and carrying out an acoustic analysis for the captured sound, (2) statistically analyzing spectral intensities of a predetermined frequency region for a plurality of obtained power spectrums, and judging whether or not a substrate crack exists based on the result of analysis.

10. A substrate crack inspection apparatus comprising:

an openable/closable hollow airtight container;

an airtight container opening/closing portion for opening/closing the hollow airtight container;

a substrate supporting portion for supporting a substrate provided in the airtight container;

a striking portion for striking the substrate provided and supported in the airtight container;

a sound collecting portion for collecting a striking vibration sound of the substrate provided in the airtight container; and

an acoustic analysis portion for carrying out an acoustic analysis of the striking vibration sound collected by the sound collecting portion and judging whether or not a substrate crack exists based on an obtained power spectrum.

11. The substrate crack inspection apparatus as set forth in claim 10, further comprising:

a carrying portion for carrying in and out a substrate to be inspected with respect to the airtight container;

a substrate housing portion for housing a carried-out substrate; and

a control portion for controlling the carrying portion based on the judgment result of the acoustic analysis portion to sort the substrates depending on whether or not a substrate crack exists and make the substrate housing portion house the same.