Probe card and a method for detecting defects using a probe card and an additional inspection

• US 20050278134A1
• Filed: 02/15/2005
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Israel Limited (Applied Materials Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Israel Limited (Applied Materials Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tirosh, Ehud, Langer, Moshe
• Granted Patent: US 7,518,391 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/118
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2887 involving moving the probe head or the IC under test; docking stations moving single probes G01R1/06705; moving individual probes in multiple probes G01R1/07392

Abstract

A method and system for defect localization includes: (i) receiving a test structure that includes at least one conductor that is at least partially covered by an electro-optically active material; (ii) providing an electrical signal to the conductor, so as to charge at least a portion of the conductor; and (iii) imaging the test structure to locate a defect.

Claims

1. A method for defect localization comprising:

(a) supplying, by a probe card, at least one electrical signal to a first set of test structure pads and viewing a first set of test structures that are coupled to the first set of test structure pads;

(b) supplying, by the probe card, at least one electrical signal to a second set of test structure pads and viewing a second set of test structures that are coupled to the second set of test structure pads.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) of supplying is followed by introducing relative movement between the probe card and a test structure array comprising the test structures.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said relative movement is a rotational movement.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said relative movement is a linear movement.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first set of test structure pads comprises about half of the test structure pads of a test structure array.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the probe card that comprises a pin area that is positioned near a perimeter of the probe card.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein during step (a) of supplying at least a portion of the second set of test structures is concealed by the probe card.

27. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining, by a tester, to which test structure array out of multiple test structure arrays to apply steps (a) and (b).

8. A probe card comprising:

multiple pins arranged within a pin area located in a vicinity of a perimeter of the probe card; and

multiple electrical conductors, interconnecting the pins and multiple probe card pads.

9. The probe card of claim 8 wherein the probe card is semi-circular.

10. The probe card of claim 8 further comprising an additional pin area located near a perimeter of the probe card.

11. A device for testing a test structure array, the device comprising:

at least one inspection unit adapted to inspect at least one test structure of the test structure array, and

a probe card adapted to supply at least one signal to at least one test structure pad while allowing the at least one inspection unit to inspect the at least one test structure.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the device comprises a vacuum chamber.

13. The device of claim 11 wherein the inspection unit comprises an SEM column.

14. The device of claim 11 wherein the inspection unit comprises an optical microscope.

15. The device of claim 11 wherein the device comprises a vacuum chamber that at least partially surrounds an SEM column and an optical microscope.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the device further comprises a probe manipulator for moving the probe card within the vacuum chamber.

17. The device of claim 11 further comprising an FIB column.

18. The device of claim 11 wherein the inspection unit comprises an FIB column and an SEM column.

19. The device of claim 11 wherein the inspection unit comprises an FIB column, an optical microscope and an SEM column.

28. The device of claim 11 further comprising a tester adapted to test multiple test structure arrays and to determine to which test structure array to apply stages (a) and (b).

20. A method for defect localization comprising:

placing an object that comprises a test structure array into a vacuum chamber;

electrically coupling at least one test structure to a probe card located within the vacuum chamber; and

locating a defect within the test structure by inspecting the at least one test structure within the vacuum chamber.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the inspecting comprises optical inspection.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the inspecting comprises electrical beam inspection.

23. The method of claim 20 further comprising cross sectioning the object within the vacuum chamber.

24. The method of claim 20 further comprising introducing a relative movement between the probe card and the object so as to couple another test structure to the probe card and locating a defect within the other test structure.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the relative movement is linear.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein the relative movement is rotational.

29. The method of claim 20 wherein the process of electrically coupling is preceded by determining, by a tester, to which test structure array out of multiple test structure arrays to apply the stage of electrically coupling.

30. A method for defect detection, comprising:

determining that a test structure is defective, by a tester;

locating a defect within the defective test structure by a defect localization unit; and

analyzing the defect by an analysis device;

wherein the tester, defect localization tool and the analysis device are integrated.