System for probing, testing, burn-in, repairing and programming of integrated circuits

• US 6,891,387 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2004
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ELM TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
• Original Assignee: ELM TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
• Inventors: Leedy, Glenn
• Primary Examiner(s): Zarneke, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOBERT, RUSSELL MARC
• Application Number:
  US10/865,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20040222809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 335 Days
• Field of Search: 324/754, 324/755, 324/757, 324/758, 324760-762, 324/765, 324/158.1
• US Class Current: 324/750.08
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07307 with individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or probe card
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07314 the body of the probe being perpendicular to test object, e.g. bed of nails or probe with bump contacts on a rigid support on an elastic support, e.g. a film, G01R1/0735
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2806 Apparatus therefor, e.g. test stations, drivers, analysers, conveyors G01R31/2805, G01R31/281, G01R31/2818 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2831 Testing of materials or semi-finished products, e.g. semiconductor wafers or substrates G01R31/318511 takes precedence; testing during manufacture H01L22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2867 Handlers or transport devices, e.g. loaders, carriers, trays
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2868 Complete testing stations; systems; procedures; software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2874 related to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2886 Features relating to contacting the IC under test, e.g. probe heads; chucks G01R31/2865 takes precedence, test connections, e.g. test sockets, or probes per se, G01R1/04 or G01R1/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/318505 Test of Modular systems, e.g. Wafers, MCM's
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/318511 Wafer Test
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31905 Interface with the device under test [DUT], e.g. arrangements between the test head and the DUT, mechanical aspects, fixture
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31912 Tester/user interface
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13452 Conductors connecting driver circuitry and terminals of panels
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70466 Multiple exposures, e.g. combination of fine and coarse exposures, double patterning or multiple exposures for printing a single feature stitching G03F7/70475
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70658 Electrical testing
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/006 at wafer scale level, i.e. wafer scale integration [WSI]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67138 Apparatus for wiring semiconductor or solid state device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67706 Mechanical details, e.g. roller, belt H01L21/67709 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67721 the substrates to be conveyed not being semiconductor wafers or large planar substrates, e.g. chips, lead frames H01L21/6773 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/762 Dielectric regions , e.g. EPIC dielectric isolation, LOCOS; Trench refilling techniques, SOI technology, use of channel stoppers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76264 : SOI together with lateral isolation, e.g. using local oxidation of silicon, or dielectric or polycristalline material refilled trench or air gap isolation regions, e.g. completely isolated semiconductor islands
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76289 : Lateral isolation by air gap
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/764 : Air gaps H01L21/76264 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/22 : Connection or disconnection of sub-entities or redundant parts of a device in response to a measurement testing and repair of stores after manufacture including at wafer scale G11C29/00; fuses per se H01L23/525
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/75 : Apparatus for connecting with bump connectors or layer connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/7565 : Means for transporting the components to be connected
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/81801 : Soldering or alloying
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/498 : Leads, i.e. metallisations or lead-frames on insulating substrates, e.g. chip carriers shape of the substrate H01L23/13
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/538 : the interconnection structure between a plurality of semiconductor chips being formed on, or in, insulating substrates H05K takes precedence; manufacture or treatment H01L21/4846 ; mountings per se H01L23/12; materials H01L23/49866
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5381 : Crossover interconnections, e.g. bridge stepovers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5383 : Multilayer substrates H01L23/5385 takes precedence; multilayer metallisation on monolayer substrates H01L23/538
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5386 : Geometry or layout of the interconnection structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5387 : Flexible insulating substrates H01L23/5388 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/75 : Apparatus for connecting with bump connectors or layer connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/81 : using a bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0652 : the devices being arranged next and on each other, i.e. mixed assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0655 : the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/50 : Multistep manufacturing processes of assemblies consisting of devices, each device being of a type provided for in group H01L27/00 or H01L29/00 H01L21/50 takes precedence
• 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 2924/01005 : Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 : Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 : Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01019 : Potassium [K]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01023 : Vanadium [V]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 : Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01038 : Strontium [Sr]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01074 : Tungsten [W]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01075 : Rhenium [Re]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 : Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10329 : Gallium arsenide [GaAs]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12042 : LASER
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 : Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15192 : Resurf arrangement of the internal vias
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 : being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19042 : being an inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19043 : being a resistor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 : Impedance

Abstract

A system which performs multi-functions including reducing the thickness of oxides on contact pads and probing, testing, burn-in, repairing, programming and binning of integrated circuits. The system includes: at least one module having a holding fixture, a wafer, a probing device, an electronic circuit board, and a temperature control device. There are a number of integrated circuits on the wafer, and the probing device simultaneously contacts substantially all of the electrical contacts in the integrated circuits. There is a plurality of active switching circuits on the probing device. The module may also have a gas source for supplying non-oxidizing gases such as nitrogen and hydrogen into the chamber, a handler for moving the wafers and the probing devices, and a computer coupled to the chamber for controlling and communicating with the handler, the temperature control devices, the holding fixtures and the probing devices. The holding fixture holds a wafer having integrated circuits and aligns the wafer to a probing device. The temperature control device is used to heat the wafer during an oxide reduction process or during burn-in of the wafer. During an oxide reduction process, hydrogen is introduced into the chamber, and the wafer is heated so that the oxides on the contact pads can combine with hydrogen to form water vapor, thus reducing the thickness of the oxides. The computer analyzes the test and/or burn-in data and provides control signals for repairing or programming the integrated circuits. The computer system also generates a database that contains the performance data of all the integrated circuits on the wafer that are tested and allows for immediate feedback of the quality of the integrated circuits.

Claims

1. A system for probing integrated circuits comprising:

a chamber including;

at least one module having a holding fixture, a temperature control device and a probing device, said holding fixture adapted to hold a substrate having a plurality of integrated circuits, each of said integrated circuits having a plurality of conductive contact portions, said temperature control device for modifying the temperature of said substrate, said probing device having a plurality of probe points for simultaneously contacting substantially all of said plurality of conductive contact portions of substantially all of said integrated circuits of said substrate and having a plurality of active switching circuits incorporated on said probing device for controlling access to a majority of said conductive contact portions.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein said module further includes:

a gas source adapted to supply at least a non-oxidizing gas into said module; and

a handler adapted to move said substrate.

3. The system according to claim 2 wherein said temperature control device controls the temperature of said substrate, and said gas source provides hydrogen thereby to reduce the thickness of oxides on said plurality of conductive contact portions.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein said module includes an electronic circuit board adapted to be coupled to a computer, said active switching circuits being coupled to said electronic circuit board, and said active switching circuits allow a controlled access to each of said integrated circuits on said substrate.

5. The system according to claim 1 further including a computer coupled to said chamber for controlling and communicating with said temperature control device, said holding fixture, said probing device, and with a handler adapted to move said substrate, said computer including a processor and a data storage device

wherein at least one of the functions listed below is performed while said substrate is in said chamber:

reducing the thickness of oxides on said plurality of conductive contact portions of said substrate;

concurrently testing functionality of substantially all of said integrated circuits of said substrate;

concurrently burning-in substantially all of said integrated circuits of said substrate;

concurrently repairing substantially all of said integrated circuits of said substrate;

concurrently programming substantially all of said integrated circuits of said substrate;

marking a symbol on said substrate; and

,

collecting data corresponding to performance data of said integrated circuits thereby to provide information for manufacturing process control.

6. The system according to claim 1 further including a second module having a second holding fixture, a second temperature control device and a second probing device, said second holding fixture adapted to hold a second substrate having a plurality of integrated circuits, each of said integrated circuits of said second substrate having a second plurality of conductive contact portions, said second temperature control device adapted to control the temperature of said second substrate, said second probing device having a second plurality of probe points for simultaneously contacting substantially all of said second plurality of conductive contact portions of substantially all of said integrated circuits of said second substrate.

7. The system according to claim 6 wherein said first and second modules are adapted to perform identical functions simultaneously.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein said integrated circuits of said substrate are functionally tested, burned-in and configured in said chamber.

9. The system according to claim 1 wherein said module is gas tight.

10. The system according to claim 1 further including a computer coupled to said chamber for controlling and communicating with said temperature control device, said holding fixture, said probing device, and with a handler adapted to move said substrate, said computer including a processor and a data storage device

wherein at least one of the functions listed below is performed while said substrate is in said chamber:

reducing the thickness of oxides on said plurality of conductive contact portions of said substrate;

(b) testing functionality of said integrated circuits of said substrate;

(c) burning-in said substrate;

(d) repairing said integrated circuits of said substrate;

(e) programming said integrated circuits of said substrate;

(f) marking a symbol on said substrate; and

,

collecting data corresponding to performance of said integrated circuits thereby to provide information for manufacturing process control.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said probe points extend from a first surface of said probing device and said active switching circuits are adjacent an obverse surface of said probing device.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein a number of connections of said active switching circuits external to said probing device is less than a number of said plurality of probe points.

13. A system for probing integrated circuits, comprising:

a holding fixture, a temperature control device, and a probing device, wherein said holding fixture is adapted to hold a substrate having a plurality of integrated circuits, each of said integrated circuits having a plurality of contact points, said probing device having a plurality of probe points adapted to contact simultaneously substantially all of said plurality of conductive contact portions of substantially all of said integrated circuits and having a plurality of active switching circuits incorporated on said probing device for controlling access to a majority of said contact points, and wherein said temperature control device is adapted to control the temperature of said substrate.

14. The system according to claim 13, further comprising a gas source adapted to supply at least an oxide-reducing gas into said system thereby to reduce the thickness of oxides on said plurality of contact portions.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said oxide-reducing gas is hydrogen.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein said probe points extend from a first surface of said probing device and said active switching circuits are adjacent an obverse surface of said probing device.

17. The system according to claim 13, wherein a number of connections of said active switching circuits external to said probing device is less than a number of said plurality of probe points.