Inspection method and inspection equipment

• US 7,301,357 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2003
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Komatsu, Shigekazu, Shinozaki, Dai
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Vinh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vazquez; Arleen M.
• Application Number:
  US10/538,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20060061374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 324754-762, 324/765
• US Class Current: 324/754.2
• 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 31/2898 Sample preparation, e.g. removing encapsulation, etching sample preparation in general G01N1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3161 Marginal testing
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31926 Routing signals to or from the device under test [DUT], e.g. switch matrix, pin multiplexing

Abstract

In an inspection method according to the invention, a plurality of drivers 21 incorporated in a tester 20 apply a fritting voltage to respective electrodes P via first probe pins 11A included in pairs of first and second probe pins 11A and 11B and connected to the respective drivers.

Claims

1. A method of inspecting an electrical characteristic of a to-be-inspected object, comprising:

bringing pairs of probe pins into contact with respective electrodes of at least one to-be-inspected object;

simultaneously applying a voltage to the respective inspection electrodes via the pairs of probe pins by drivers of a tester, the driver being connected to the respective pairs of probe pins, thereby causing a fritting phenomenon, in which a predetermined potential inclination is formed and a current flows to break an oxide film, to occur between tips of each pair included in the pairs of probe pins; and

applying an inspection signal from the drivers to the electrodes of the to-be-inspected object via the respective pairs of probe pins, thereby inspecting an electrical characteristic of the to-be-inspected object by a tester,

wherein the fritting voltage and the inspection signal are applied via identical signal lines between the drivers of the tester circuit and said first probe pins.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the driver transmits the inspection signal via respective electrical connection lines connecting the driver to the respective probe pins included in the pairs of probe pins; and

respective drivers apply a voltage, which causes a fritting phenomenon, to the respective electrodes via the electrical connection lines and the respective pairs of probe pins.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the applying the voltage by the drivers which are connected to the respective pairs of probe pins to the respective electrodes via the electrical connection lines and the respective pairs of probe pins includes sequentially applying the voltage to the electrodes instead of simultaneously applying the voltage to the electrodes.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein when the voltage applied by the drivers to the respective electrodes reaches a predetermined limit value, when a current resulting from the voltage reaches a predetermined limit value or when the current shows a predetermined change, application of the voltage to the electrodes by the drivers is stopped.

5. An apparatus for inspecting an electrical characteristic of a to-be-inspected object, comprising:

pairs of probe pins to be brought into contact with respective electrodes of at least one to-be-inspected object;

drivers of a tester connected to the respective pairs of probe pins via signal lines to simultaneously apply a voltage to the respective electrodes, thereby causing a fritting phenomenon, in which a predetermined potential inclination is formed and a current flows to break an oxide film, occurring between tips of each pair included in the pairs of probe pins, as a result of application of the voltage; and

a tester which transmits, after the fritting phenomenon occurs, an inspection signal to the electrodes of the to-be-inspected object via the signal lines and using the driver, thereby inspecting an electrical characteristic of the to-be-inspected object.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

pairs of probe pins to be brought into contact with the respective electrodes;

electrical connection lines connecting the driver to the respective pairs of probe pins;

the drivers provided in the tester, circuit, the drivers being connected to the respective pairs of probe pins to apply the drivers applying a voltage, which causes a fritting phenomenon to the respective electrodes, and wherein the electrical connection lines transmit the inspection signal from the tester and the voltage from the drivers to the respective electrodes of the to-be-inspected object.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the driver is provided in the tester, and has a function of sequentially applying a voltage to the respective electrodes in addition to simultaneously applying a voltage to the respective electrodes.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

comparators connected between the respective drivers and the respective pairs of probe pins, the comparators detecting at least one of whether the voltage applied by the drivers to the respective electrodes reaches a predetermined limit value, whether a current resulting from the voltage reaches a predetermined limit value, and whether the current shows a predetermined change,

and wherein when the comparators detect whether one of the voltage and a current reaches the predetermined limit value, the drivers stop application of the voltage to the probe pins.

9. A method of inspecting an electrical characteristic of a to-be-inspected object, comprising:

bringing pairs of probe pins into contact with respective electrodes of at least one to-be-inspected object;

sequentially applying a voltage to the respective inspection electrodes via the pairs of probe pins by drivers connected to the respective pairs of probe pins, thereby causing a fritting phenomenon, in which a predetermined potential inclination is formed and a current flows to break an oxide film, to occur between tips of each pair included in the pairs of probe pins; and

applying an inspection signal by the respective drivers to the electrodes of the to-be-inspected object via the respective pairs of probe pins, thereby inspecting an electrical characteristic of the to-be-inspected object by a tester, wherein each driver transmits the inspection signal and the voltage via electrical connection lines connecting the driver to the respective probe pins included in the pairs of probe pins.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein when the voltage applied by the drivers to the respective electrodes reaches a predetermined limit value, when a current resulting from the voltage reaches a predetermined limit value or when the current shows a predetermined change, application of the voltage to the electrodes by the drivers is stopped.