Inspection system and method for leads of semiconductor devices
First Claim
1. A system for transporting semiconductor devices from one point to another, said semiconductor devices including a plurality of leads thereon, the existence of which and the positional accuracy of which is to be determined, said system including:
- a transport apparatus including a frame;
a head operable to engage and support a semiconductor device and move said semiconductor device from one position to another with respect to said frame; and
a lead inspection apparatus mounted on said frame and interposed in a path of movement of said semiconductor device, relative to said lead inspection apparatus, said lead inspection apparatus being operable to inspect the existence of said leads on said semiconductor device, the positional accuracy of said leads in two dimensions with respect to a substrate of said semiconductor device and the positional accuracy of said leads with respect to a predetermined plane, while moving said semiconductor device from said one position to said another position, said inspection apparatus including;
a first optical sensor and a first light source for illuminating said semiconductor device to generate a two dimensional image by said first optical sensor;
a second light source and a second optical sensor disposed to generate a third dimensional image of said semiconductor device; and
a processing unit operably connected to said first and second optical sensors for comparing images generated thereby, respectively, with information stored in said processing unit for determining the existence of leads on said semiconductor device, the positional accuracy of said leads on said semiconductor device and the coplanarity of at least portions of said leads on said semiconductor device.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for transporting and inspecting, seriatim, semiconductor devices with plural prong type or solder ball type leads includes a head for transporting the semiconductor devices from one support structure, such as a tray or tube, to a second support structure, such as a tray or tape, and wherein two dimensional and three dimensional measurements of the positional accuracy of the leads is carried out during the transport process. The inspection apparatus is interposed in the transport path and includes a first optical sensor such as a CCD camera oriented to capture a two dimensional image of the semiconductor device package and compare the image with a predetermined two dimensional image store in a central processing unit (CPU). A high intensity light source, such as a laser, generates a plane of light which is reflected off of the semiconductor device leads to a second optical sensor, also comprising a CCD camera, wherein a so-called three dimensional image is generated to be compared by the CPU with predetermined or calculated positional relationships of the leads to establish coplanarity of the lead tips, or lack thereof. The system includes a sensor located such that the semiconductor device is centered in a field of view of the cameras to capture the respective images. The transport head may be rotated to correct for improper positioning of the device prior to generation of the three dimensional image. The system may interchangeably inspect semiconductor device packages with prong leads extending from one or all sides of a rectangular substrate as well an array of solder ball leads supported on a substrate. A modified arrangement of the inspection system is adapted for inspecting multiple semiconductor devices with solder ball leads and supported on wafer type substrates.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A system for transporting semiconductor devices from one point to another, said semiconductor devices including a plurality of leads thereon, the existence of which and the positional accuracy of which is to be determined, said system including:
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a transport apparatus including a frame; a head operable to engage and support a semiconductor device and move said semiconductor device from one position to another with respect to said frame; and a lead inspection apparatus mounted on said frame and interposed in a path of movement of said semiconductor device, relative to said lead inspection apparatus, said lead inspection apparatus being operable to inspect the existence of said leads on said semiconductor device, the positional accuracy of said leads in two dimensions with respect to a substrate of said semiconductor device and the positional accuracy of said leads with respect to a predetermined plane, while moving said semiconductor device from said one position to said another position, said inspection apparatus including; a first optical sensor and a first light source for illuminating said semiconductor device to generate a two dimensional image by said first optical sensor; a second light source and a second optical sensor disposed to generate a third dimensional image of said semiconductor device; and a processing unit operably connected to said first and second optical sensors for comparing images generated thereby, respectively, with information stored in said processing unit for determining the existence of leads on said semiconductor device, the positional accuracy of said leads on said semiconductor device and the coplanarity of at least portions of said leads on said semiconductor device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An inspection apparatus for determining the existence of plural leads on a semiconductor device, the positional accuracy of said leads with respect to a predetermined position of said leads on said semiconductor device and the coplanarity of said plural leads, said apparatus comprising:
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a first light source for illuminating said semiconductor device; a first optical sensor for recording a two dimensional image of said semiconductor device when illuminated by said first light source, said first optical sensor being arranged for projection of said two dimensional image along an axis of said first optical sensor substantially normal to a plane of said semiconductor device; a second light source operable to project a generally planar beam onto said semiconductor device, said planar beam being generally normal to said plane of said semiconductor device; a second optical sensor arranged to receive an image of said leads of said semiconductor device generated by reflection of said second light source at an acute angle with respect to said plane of said semiconductor device for determining coplanarity of said leads; a support for said semiconductor device arranged with respect to said first optical sensor and said second optical sensor for movement of said semiconductor device in a substantially linear path relative to said first optical sensor and said second optical sensor; and control means for causing said first optical sensor and said second optical sensor to record said images while moving said semiconductor device along said path. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system for handling semiconductor devices wherein each of said semiconductor devices includes a plurality of leads thereon, the existence of which and the positional accuracy of which is to be determined, said system including:
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a frame including a support for one or more wafer-like substrates, each of said substrates including a plurality of semiconductor devices thereon, each of said semiconductor devices including a plurality of leads formed thereon; a support member movable relative to said support for said substrates; an inspection apparatus mounted on said support member for movement relative to said support for said substrates for inspecting the leads on each of said semiconductor devices, said inspection apparatus including a first optical sensor and a first light source for illuminating said semiconductor devices on said substrate to generate a two-dimensional image by said first optical sensor, a second optical sensor and a second light source disposed to project a generally planar beam on to the leads of each semiconductor device to generate a third dimensional image of said semiconductor device by said second optical sensor, said optical sensors and said light sources being spaced from each other to provide for recording a first image by said first optical sensor and a second image by said second optical sensor while moving said inspection apparatus relative to said one or more substrates, said first optical sensor being disposed to record an image projected from a predetermined plane of said semiconductor device and said second optical sensor being disposed to record an image projected at an acute angle with respect to said plane of said semiconductor device for determining the coplanarity of said leads; and a processing unit operably connected to said first and second optical sensors for comparing images recorded thereby, respectively, with information stored in said processing unit for determining one of the existence of leads on said semiconductor device, the positional accuracy of said leads and the coplanarity of portions of said leads. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. A method for inspecting a plurality of leads on a semiconductor device to determine the existence of a predetermined number of said leads, the positional accuracy of said leads and the coplanarity of said leads, comprising the steps of:
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providing an apparatus for transporting semiconductor devices, seriatim, from a first handling media to a second handling media for said semiconductor devices, said apparatus including a head for engaging and supporting a semiconductor device and for transporting said semiconductor device from said first handling media to said second handling media along a predetermined path; providing an inspection apparatus including a first optical sensor for recording a two dimensional image of said semiconductor device and a second optical sensor for recording an image of a third dimension of said semiconductor device, said first optical sensor and said second optical sensor being spaced apart from each other on said inspection apparatus; illuminating said semiconductor device with a first light source prior to recording said image with said first optical sensor; illuminating said semiconductor device with a second light source comprising a generally planar beam prior to recording an image of said semiconductor device generated by said planar beam with said second optical sensor; and causing said support for said semiconductor device to move said semiconductor device along said path and with respect to said inspection apparatus to a first position for recording an image by one of said optical sensors and then to a second position for recording an image by the other of said optical sensors. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification