Inspection system, inspection method, and method for manufacturing semiconductor device

• US 7,276,929 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2006
• Issued: 10/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Arai, Yasuyuki, Akiba, Mai, Tachimura, Yuko
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Paresh
• Application Number:
  US11/525,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20070013397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 324/754.31
• 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 31/2889 Interfaces, e.g. between probe and tester G01R31/31905 and G01R1/07364 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3025 Wireless interface with the DUT
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/303 of integrated circuits G01R31/305 - G01R31/315 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0095 Testing the sensing arrangement, e.g. testing if a magnetic card reader, bar code reader, RFID interrogator or smart card reader functions properly testing of electrical circuits G01R31/28

Abstract

The present invention provides an inspection system of ID chips that can supply a signal or power supply voltage to an ID chip without contact, and can increase throughput of an inspection process and an inspection method using the inspection system. The inspection system according to the present invention includes a plurality of inspection electrodes, a plurality of inspection antennas, a position control unit, a unit for applying voltage to each of the inspection antennas, and a unit for measuring potentials of the inspection electrodes. One feature of the inspection system is that a plurality of ID chips and the plurality of inspection electrodes are overlapped with a certain space therebetween, and the plurality of ID chips and the plurality of inspection antennas are overlapped with a certain space therebetween, and the plurality of ID chips are interposed between the plurality of inspection electrodes and the plurality of inspection antennas by the position control unit.

Claims

1. An inspection apparatus comprising:

a plurality of inspection electrodes;

a plurality of inspection antennas;

means for controlling a position;

means for applying a voltage to each of the plurality of inspection antennas; and

means for measuring potentials of the plurality of inspection electrodes;

wherein a plurality of chips and the plurality of inspection electrodes are overlapped with a certain space therebetween;

the plurality of chips and the plurality of inspection antennas are overlapped with a certain space therebetween; and

the plurality of chips are interposed between the plurality of inspection electrodes and the plurality of inspection antennas by the means for controlling a position.

2. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for controlling the position flows a fluid to control the space between the plurality of chips and the plurality of inspection electrodes.

3. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for controlling the position is an alignment apparatus, the means for applying voltage is a voltage apply apparatus;

and the means for measuring potentials is a potentials measuring apparatus.

4. An inspection apparatus comprising:

a plurality of inspection electrodes;

a plurality of inspection antennas;

means for controlling a position;

means for applying voltage to each of the plurality of inspection antennas;

means for measuring potentials of the plurality of inspection electrodes; and

means for analyzing data having measured potentials of the plurality of inspection electrodes as information, and data having positions of the plurality of chips and the plurality of inspection electrodes as information, and obtaining data having operating states of the chips as information;

wherein the plurality of chips and the plurality of inspection electrodes are overlapped with a certain space therebetween, and the plurality of chips and the plurality of inspection antennas are overlapped with a certain space therebetween, and the plurality of chips are interposed between the plurality of inspection electrodes and the plurality of inspection antennas by the means for controlling the position.

5. The inspection apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the means for controlling the position flows a fluid to control the space between the plurality of chips and the plurality of inspection electrodes.

6. The inspection apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the means for controlling the position is an alignment apparatus, the means for applying voltage is a voltage apply apparatus;

and the means for measuring potentials is a potentials measuring apparatus.

7. An inspection apparatus comprising:

a plurality of inspection electrodes;

a plurality of inspection antennas;

means for controlling a position;

means for applying a voltage to each of the plurality of inspection antennas; and

means for measuring potentials of the plurality of inspection electrodes;

wherein a plurality of chips formed over a substrate and the plurality of inspection electrodes are overlapped with a certain space therebetween, and the plurality of chips and the plurality of inspection antennas are overlapped with a certain space therebetween, and the plurality of chips are interposed between the plurality of inspection electrodes and the plurality of inspection antennas by the means for controlling the position, and

wherein the substrate is interposed between the plurality of chips and the plurality of inspection antennas by the means for controlling the position.

8. The inspection apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the substrate is an insulator.

9. The inspection apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the substrate is a glass substrate or a plastic substrate.

10. The inspection apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the means for controlling the position flows a fluid to control the space between the plurality of chips and the plurality of inspection electrodes.

11. The inspection apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the means for controlling the position is an alignment apparatus, the means for applying voltage is a voltage apply apparatus;

and the means for measuring potentials is a potentials measuring apparatus.

12. An inspection apparatus comprising:

a plurality of inspection electrodes;

a plurality of inspection antennas;

means for controlling a position;

means for applying a voltage to each of the plurality of inspection antennas; and

means for measuring potentials of the plurality of inspection electrodes;

means for analyzing data having measured potentials of the plurality of inspection electrodes as information, and data having positions of the plurality of chips and the plurality of inspection electrodes as information, and obtaining data having operating states of the chips as information,

wherein the plurality of chips formed over a substrate and the plurality of inspection electrodes are overlapped with a certain space therebetween, and the plurality of chips and the plurality of inspection antennas are overlapped with a certain space therebetween, and the plurality of chips are interposed between the plurality of inspection electrodes and the plurality of inspection antennas by the means for controlling the position, and

wherein the substrate is interposed between the plurality of chips and the plurality of inspection antennas by the means for controlling the position.

13. The inspection apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the substrate is an insulator.

14. The inspection apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the substrate is a glass substrate or a plastic substrate.

15. The inspection apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the means for controlling the position flows a fluid to control the space between the plurality of chips and the plurality of inspection electrodes.

16. The inspection apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the means for controlling the position is an alignment apparatus, the means for applying voltage is a voltage apply apparatus;

and the means for measuring potentials is a potentials measuring apparatus.