Integrated system for detecting and repairing semiconductor defects and a method for controlling the same

• US 6,466,882 B1
• Filed: 08/19/1999
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Choi, Jin-Ho, Kang, Sin-Seob
• Primary Examiner(s): Hilten, John S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, HIEN XUAN
• Application Number:
  US09/377,075
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: 702/84, 324/537, 324/770, 438/14-18, 438/30, 257/59, 257/72, 345/87
• US Class Current: 702/84
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/01 Subjecting similar articles in turn to test, e.g. "go/no-go" tests in mass production; Testing objects at points as they pass through a testing station testing of cables continuously passing the testing apparatus G01R31/59; testing dielectric strength or breakdown voltage G01R31/12
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/006 Electronic inspection or testing of displays and display drivers, e.g. of LED or LCD displays testing individual LED's G01R31/2635; testing lamps G01R31/44; testing of optical features of LCD displays G02F1/1309

Abstract

An integrated repair system for micro electronic devices, which comprises a plurality of inspectors optically or electrically inspecting panels on which predetermined patterns have been formed and stores the inspected results in electronic files with a predetermined format. A repairer coupled to a plurality of these inspectors collects the stored files and merges the files and executes a repair process as a batch at one time with reference to the merged files. A file server is coupled to the inspectors through a network, and stores the files of the inspectors and provides the file when the repairer retrieves the files. An automatic transfer device controlled by a host automatically transfers the panels between the inspectors and between the inspector and the repairer, and an automatic transfer device controller coupled to the host receives commands from the host and controls transfers of the automatic transfer device.

Claims

1. An integrated repair system of micro electronic devices, comprising:

a plurality of inspectors that optically or electrically inspects panels on which predetermined patterns are formed and stores the results of these inspections in files with a predetermined format; and

a repairer coupled to a plurality of the inspectors, that collects and mergers the files stored by the inspectors and repairs as a batch at once with reference to the merged files.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a file server coupled to a plurality of the inspectors through a network, that stores the files of the inspectors and provides the file when requested by the repairer.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising an automatic transfer device, that automatically transfers the panels between a plurality of the inspectors and between the inspectors and the repairer controlled by a host.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising an automatic transfer device controller coupled to the host, that receives commands from the host and controls the automatic transfer device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the panels are thin film transistor (TFT) panels.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the files comprise:

coordinates of defects indicating locations of the defects on the panels;

codes of the contents of the defects on the panels; and

cell grades indicating the status of the defects on the panels.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein files are merged with reference to the duplicate coordinates of the defects, and the redundant data of the files are removed.

8. A method for controlling an integrated repair system, said repair system comprising a plurality of inspectors that optically or electrically inspects panels on which predetermined patterns are formed, and stores the inspection results in files with a predetermined format, and a repairer that repairs defects using the inspection results, comprising the steps of:

(a) forming predetermined patterns on the panels in each process;

(b) inspecting optically or electrically the patterns after each process and storing the inspection results in a plurality of files with a predetermined format when defects are generated on the panels,;

(c) merging the inspection results stored in the files and removing the duplicate parts; and

(d) repairing the defects as a batch at once.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step (b) further comprises the steps of:

storing coordinates of the defects indicating the locations of the pixels, codes of the defects indicating the contents of the defects, and cell grades indicating defective status, when the pixels are defective; and

storing the file in a file server or on hard disks in the inspectors.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the step (c) comprises the steps of:

collecting the files through the network;

determining whether or not each pixel on the panel is repairable among the data on defects stored in the files, and rejecting a pixel when not repairable;

determining whether to merge the files, and in the case of merging, merging the files with reference to predetermined coordinates and removing duplicate data, and in the case of not merging, connecting a repairer one by one with a predetermined inspector.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step (c) further comprises a step of removing the duplicate data merged into a file with reference to the coordinates of the defects.

12. A method for controlling an integrated repair system, comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a gate pattern on a panel and inspecting the panels optically or electrically;

(b) storing data related to a first set of defects in a first file when the first set of defects are found in step (a);

(c) forming an active pattern on the panel and inspecting the panels optically;

(d) storing data related to a second set of defects in a second file when the second set of defects are found in step (c);

(e) forming a data pattern on the panel and inspecting the panel optically or electrically;

(f) storing data related to a third set of defects in a third file when the third set of defects are found in step (e);

(g) forming a pixel electrode on the panel and inspecting the panel optically or electrically;

(h) storing data related to a fourth set of defects in a fourth file when the fourth set of defects are generated in step (g);

(i) merging the first, second, third, and fourth files, and removing the duplicate parts from the first, second, third, and fourth files; and

(j) repairing the defects at one time referring to the merged file.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein automatic optical inspections are executed on the panels.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein an open/short tester is used to electrically inspect the panels in the step (e).

15. The method of claim 12, wherein an array tester is used to electrically inspect the panels in the step (g).

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the data related to all the sets of defects have coordinates, codes, and cell grades of the defects found on the panels.

17. An automatic defect detection system, comprising:

a defect detector that inspects a panel, detects a defect on the panel according to inspection results, and stores defect data in a file with a predetermined format; and

a file server that receives the defect data file from the defect detector, and stores the data on the panel defect incurred by each process up to the immediate corresponding process in a file format,

wherein the automatic defect detection system further comprises a comparator coupled to the file server, that compares the defects of the panels generated in the previous processes stored in the file server with the defects of the panels generated in the current process.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the automatic defect detection system further comprises a panel ID reader for reading the ID of the panel and transferring the read result to the comparator.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the comparator determines whether or not the panel ID read from the panel ID reader is identical to a panel ID stored in the file server undergoing the corresponding process.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the comparator determines whether one of the IDs of the panels stored in the file server is identical to the ID of the current panel read by the panel ID reader, and when they are identical, compares the cumulative defect data up to the immediate prior process with the defects detected by the inspector up to the current process, and transfers the defect data of the current process excluding the defect data previously identified, and also transfers the defect data generated up to the current process to the file server.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the file server stores IDs of the panels in each process, the defect data received from the comparator up to current process, and the defect data of the current process.

20. An automatic defect detection system, comprising:

a defect detector that inspects a panel, detects a defect on the panel according to inspection results, and stores defect data in a file with a predetermined format; and

a file server that receives the defect data file from the defect detector, and stores the data on the panel defect incurred by each process up to the immediate corresponding process in a file format,

wherein the defect detector outputs data on the locations of the defects on the panel as coordinates of the defects.

23. A method for controlling an automatic defect detection system, comprising the steps of:

(a) loading a panel after execution of each process;

(b) detecting defects of the panel;

(c) comparing the defects of the panel with the defect of the panels generated up to the immediate prior process; and

(d) storing the defect data of the current process and the defect data up to the immediate prior process.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises a step of reading an ID of the panel and comparing this ID with the stored panel IDs between steps (a) and (b).

25. A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display apparatus, by using an integrated repair system, said repair system comprising a plurality of inspectors that optically or electrically inspects thin film transistor (TFT) panels on which predetermined patterns and pixels are formed, and stores the inspection results in files with a predetermined format, and a repairer that repairs defects using the inspection results, comprising the steps of:

(a) forming predetermined patterns on the panels in each process;

(b) inspecting optically or electrically the patterns after each process, and storing the inspection results in a plurality of files with a predetermined format when defects are generated on the TFT panels;

(c) merging the inspection results stored in the files and removing the duplicate parts; and

(d) repairing the defects as a batch at once.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step (b) further comprises the steps of:

storing coordinates of the defects indicating the locations of the pixels, codes of the

defects indicating the contents of the defects, and cell grades indicating defective status,

when the pixels are defective; and

storing the file in a file server or on hard disks in the inspectors.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the step (c) comprises the steps of:

collecting the files through the network;

determining whether or not each pixel on the TFT panel is repairable among the data on defects stored in the files, and rejecting a pixel when not repairable;

determining whether to merge the files, and in the case of merging, merging the files with reference to predetermined coordinates and removing duplicate data, and in the case of not merging, connecting a repairer one by one with a predetermined inspector.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the step (c) further comprises a step of removing the duplicate data merged into a file with reference to the coordinates of the defects.