Methods and apparatus for utilizing an optical reference
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- positioning a wafer-based device in a reference field;
determining a relative position of a second element in the reference field, the second element being a device interface element of the wafer-based device;
generating an optical reference beam that intersects a predetermined position in the reference field, including;
generating a laser processing beam and propagating the laser beam along an optical path that intersects the reference field; and
attenuating the laser processing beam;
detecting a relative position of a first element in the reference field, the first element being a probe element; and
aligning the first element to the second element, including aligning the device interface element within the reference field to the probe element based on the detected position of the probe element in the reference field and the determined position of the device interface element, andprocessing material of the wafer-based device with the laser processing beam;
wherein determining the relative position of the device interface element to the reference field further comprises;
detecting a position of reference features carried with the device interface element with respect to the reference field, anddetermining the position of the device interface element based on the position of the detected reference features and a predetermined position of the device interface element with respect to the reference feature;
and wherein a predetermined position of the device interface element with respect to the reference feature is one of;
the position of the device interface element in a map of a wafer including both reference feature positions and device interface element positions, ora position of a device interface element measured in relation to a reference feature;
and wherein determining the position of the device interface element based on the position of the detected reference features and a predetermined position of the device interface element with respect to the reference feature includes;
utilizing a first camera with at least one field of view positioned in the reference field to detect the position of the reference features carried with the device interface element in the reference field;
and wherein detecting the position of the probe element in the reference field with respect to the position of the optical reference beam includes;
i) positioning the optical reference beam at a predetermined location in the reference field;
ii) positioning a field of view of a second camera within the reference field;
iii) forming an image of the optical reference beam in the field of view while the optical reference beam is at the predetermined location in the reference field;
iv) forming an image of one or more tips of probe pins associated with a probe card in the field of view, the probe element being one of the one or more probe pins;
v) determining the position of the image of the optical reference beam in the field of view; and
vi) determining the position of at least one probe pin tip in the field of view.
14 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A laser processing system implements a method for aligning a probe element (e.g., a probe pin) with a device interface element (e.g., a contact pad of a circuit substrate). First, the laser processing system generates an optical reference beam at one or more predetermined positions to calibrate a reference field. The laser processing system then detects a position of the probe element in the reference field. The laser processing system also determines a relative position of the device interface element in the reference field. Based on the position of the probe element and the device interface element, the laser processing system then initiates alignment of the probe element and the device interface element. In one application, alignment of the probe element and the device interface element further includes contacting the probe element to the device interface element to make an electrical connection.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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positioning a wafer-based device in a reference field; determining a relative position of a second element in the reference field, the second element being a device interface element of the wafer-based device; generating an optical reference beam that intersects a predetermined position in the reference field, including; generating a laser processing beam and propagating the laser beam along an optical path that intersects the reference field; and attenuating the laser processing beam; detecting a relative position of a first element in the reference field, the first element being a probe element; and aligning the first element to the second element, including aligning the device interface element within the reference field to the probe element based on the detected position of the probe element in the reference field and the determined position of the device interface element, and processing material of the wafer-based device with the laser processing beam; wherein determining the relative position of the device interface element to the reference field further comprises; detecting a position of reference features carried with the device interface element with respect to the reference field, and determining the position of the device interface element based on the position of the detected reference features and a predetermined position of the device interface element with respect to the reference feature; and wherein a predetermined position of the device interface element with respect to the reference feature is one of; the position of the device interface element in a map of a wafer including both reference feature positions and device interface element positions, or a position of a device interface element measured in relation to a reference feature; and wherein determining the position of the device interface element based on the position of the detected reference features and a predetermined position of the device interface element with respect to the reference feature includes; utilizing a first camera with at least one field of view positioned in the reference field to detect the position of the reference features carried with the device interface element in the reference field; and wherein detecting the position of the probe element in the reference field with respect to the position of the optical reference beam includes; i) positioning the optical reference beam at a predetermined location in the reference field; ii) positioning a field of view of a second camera within the reference field; iii) forming an image of the optical reference beam in the field of view while the optical reference beam is at the predetermined location in the reference field; iv) forming an image of one or more tips of probe pins associated with a probe card in the field of view, the probe element being one of the one or more probe pins; v) determining the position of the image of the optical reference beam in the field of view; and vi) determining the position of at least one probe pin tip in the field of view.
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2. A method, comprising:
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positioning a wafer-based device in a reference field; determining a relative position of a second element in the reference field, the second element being a device interface element of the wafer-based device; generating an optical reference beam that intersects a predetermined position in the reference field, including; generating a laser processing beam and propagating the laser beam along an optical path that intersects the reference field; and attenuating the laser processing beam; detecting a relative position of a first element in the reference field, the first element being a probe element; and aligning the first element to the second element, including aligning the device interface element within the reference field to the probe element based on the detected position of the probe element in the reference field and the determined position of the device interface element, and processing material of the wafer-based device with the laser processing beam; wherein; determining the relative position of the device interface element to the reference field includes utilizing a first imaging system viewing the reference features from a first side of the reference field to determine the position in the reference field of reference features carried on a device substrate; and detecting the position of the probe element in the reference field with respect to the position of the optical reference beam includes utilizing a second imaging system viewing the probe element in the reference field from a second side of the reference field to detect the position of the probe element in the reference field, the second imaging system being rigidly mounted to a movable assembly that carries the substrate upon which the device interface element and reference features reside, and wherein the second side of the reference field is the reverse side of the first side of the reference field. - View Dependent Claims (3)
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4. A method, comprising:
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positioning a wafer-based device in a reference field; determining a relative position of a second element in the reference field, the second element being a device interface element of the wafer-based device; generating an optical reference beam that intersects a predetermined position in the reference field, including; generating a laser processing beam and propagating the laser beam along an optical path that intersects the reference field; and attenuating the laser processing beam; detecting a relative position of a first element in the reference field, the first element being a probe element; and aligning the first element to the second element, including aligning the device interface element within the reference field to the probe element based on the detected position of the probe element in the reference field and the determined position of the device interface element, and processing material of the wafer-based device with the laser processing beam; wherein detecting the position of the probe element in the reference field is with respect to the position of the optical reference beam and includes utilizing an imaging system including at least one camera and high and low magnification imaging elements rigidly mounted to a movable assembly to detect the relative position of the probing element in the reference field, the movable assembly carrying a substrate upon which the device interface element resides, and wherein the method further comprises; initiating movement of the movable assembly to view the probe element with the low magnification imaging elements; and initiating movement of the movable assembly based on a low magnification image to view the probe element with the high magnification imaging elements, the high magnification imaging elements being rigidly mounted adjacent to the low magnification imaging elements. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A method, comprising:
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positioning a wafer-based device in a reference field; determining a relative position of a second element in the reference field, the second element being a device interface element of the wafer-based device; generating an optical reference beam that intersects a predetermined position in the reference field, including; generating a laser processing beam and propagating the laser beam along an optical path that intersects the reference field; and attenuating the laser processing beam; detecting a relative position of a first element in the reference field, the first element being a probe element; and aligning the first element to the second element, including aligning the device interface element within the reference field to the probe element based on the detected position of the probe element in the reference field and the determined position of the device interface element, and processing material of the wafer-based device with the laser processing beam; wherein determining the relative position of the device interface element to the reference field includes; i) utilizing a laser beam positioner system to position a field of view of a first camera to at least one location in the reference field; and ii) utilizing the first camera to detect the position of the reference features carried with the device interface element in the reference field. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method, comprising:
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positioning a wafer-based device in a reference field; determining a relative position of a second element in the reference field, the second element being a device interface element of the wafer-based device; generating an optical reference beam that intersects a predetermined position in the reference field, including; generating a laser processing beam and propagating the laser beam along an optical path that intersects the reference field; and attenuating the laser processing beam; detecting a relative position of a first element in the reference field, the first element being a probe element; and aligning the first element to the second element, including aligning the device interface element within the reference field to the probe element based on the detected position of the probe element in the reference field and the determined position of the device interface element, and processing material of the wafer-based device with the laser processing beam; wherein; the first element is a first contact element, and the second element is a second contact element; determining a relative position of the second element in a reference field is based on use of a first imaging system; generating an optical reference beam that intersects a predetermined position in the reference field is to align a second imaging system; detecting a relative position of the first element in the reference field is based on use of the second imaging system; and aligning the first element to the second element is based on the relative position of the first element and the relative position of the second element in the reference field. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method, comprising:
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positioning a wafer-based device in a reference field; determining, based on use of a first imaging system, a relative position of a second contact element in the reference field, the second contact element being a test pad associated with a circuit under test on the wafer-based device; generating an optical reference beam that intersects a predetermined position in the reference field, to align a second imaging system; detecting a relative position of a first contact element in the reference field, based on use of the second imaging system, the first contact element being a pin on a probe card; aligning the first contact element to the second contact element based on the relative position of the first contact element and the relative position of the second contact element in the reference field, the aligning including initiating movement of at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element to touch the first contact element to the second contact element and form an electrical connection between test equipment and the circuit under test, including; (a) initiating movement of at least one of;
i) the probe card, and ii) the wafer-based device; and(b) utilizing a source that generates the optical reference beam to generate a laser beam that is applied to the circuit under test; and trimming a component of the circuit under test with the applied laser beam. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification