Wire bonding inspecting apparatus utilizing a controlling means for shifting from one inspected area to another

• US 5,138,180 A
• Filed: 08/16/1990
• Issued: 08/11/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamanaka, Kazuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVENPORT, TERESA
• Application Number:
  US07/568,033
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 250/561, 250/548, 250/560, 356/393, 356/394, 358/101, 358/106, 358/107
• US Class Current: 250/559.07
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/12 for structural parameters, e.g. thickness, line width, refractive index, temperature, warp, bond strength, defects, optical inspection, electrical measurement of structural dimensions, metallurgic measurement of diffusions electrical measurement of diffusions H01L22/14
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05554 being square
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05599 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49171 Fan-out arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/78 Apparatus for connecting with wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/859 involving monitoring, e.g. feedback loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/48 of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/49 of a plurality of wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/78 Apparatus for connecting with wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/85 using a wire connector wire bonding in general B23K20/004
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01005 Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01039 Yttrium [Y]

Abstract

To inspect the wire bonding of semiconductor chips of different sizes and with a broader allowability of chip mislocation on an inspection table, the inspecting apparatus includes an inspection base on which a chip is mounted; an illuminator for illuminating the wires to be inspected; an optical cylinder for forming an optical image of the wires; a video unit for generating video signals; an image processing unit for recognizing wire shapes and measuring wire bonded positions; a storage unit for storing inspection criteria; a main controller for comparing the recognized wire shapes and the measured wire bonded positions with the stored criteria to decide on chip acceptance or unacceptance; and, in particular, an x-y table for moving the optical cylinder relative to the inspection base or vice versa; and a controller for controlling the relative positional relationship between the two, so that an inspection area can be image-formed by the optical cylinder at a correct inspection position.

Claims

1. A wire bonding inspecting apparatus for inspecting wires bonded between a semiconductor chip and associated leads, comprising:

(a) mounting means for mounting the semiconductor chip wire-bonded to the leads;

(b) illuminating means for illuminating the wires connected between the mounted semiconductor chip and the leads;

(c) optical image pickup means for picking up an optical image of the illuminated wires in a predetermined area;

(d) video signal generating means for transducing the optical image into video signals;

(e) recognizing and measuring means responsive to the video signals, for recognizing wire shapes and measuring wire bonded positions for wire inspection;

(f) storing means for storing wire inspection criteria;

(g) acceptance deciding means for comparing the recognized wire shapes and the measured wire bonded positions with wire inspection criteria stored in the storing means, respectively, and generating an acceptance or a nonacceptance signal on the basis of the compared results;

(h) moving means for moving said mounting means relative to said optical image pickup means, or vice versa; and

(i) control means for controlling the relative positional relationship between said mounting means and said optical image pickup means to shift from an inspection area to another inspection area when said predetermined inspection area is insufficient compared to whole chip area.

2. The wire bonding inspecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined area is previously determined according to models of semiconductor chips.

3. The wire bonding inspecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said moving means is an X-Y table.

4. The wire bonding inspecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said moving means is an X-Y optical pickup device.