Patent ID: 7463764
Filing Date: 2008-12-09
Classification: G01R,H01L

Abstract:
1. A method of setting a probe area on a wafer-type substrate placed on a stage in a probe apparatus which has the stage and an image-pickup apparatus for picking up an image of the surface of the stage, comprising: (a) placing the substrate on the stage; (b) selecting an object formed on the outermost periphery of the substrate, as an outer peripheral object to be inspected, and locating the object; (c) moving the stage and the image-pickup apparatus in an X- or Y-direction, thereby retrieving and locating outer peripheral objects formed on the outer periphery of the substrate adjacent to the outer peripheral object, while changing the retrieving direction of the image-pickup apparatus to the X- and Y-direction; and (d) determining a probe area from the positions of the outer peripheral objects located in the step (c), wherein said moving step (c) further comprises, successively retrieving the objects adjacent to the outer peripheral object located in (b) in the rotational direction of the substrate, starting with the outer peripheral object located, thereby identifying all outer peripheral objects provided on the substrate, the identifying of the outer peripheral objects including, (c1) performing X-direction end-retrieval to retrieve each object formed on the outer periphery, at the opposite ends in the X-direction, by moving the retrieval position in a first Y-direction from the outer peripheral object already identified, such that (c1-1) if any object to inspect exists in the first Y-direction, the retrieval position is moved outward further in the X-direction; if any object exists in the position to which the retrieval position has been moved, the retrieval position is moved until no objects exist at the new retrieval position; if no objects exists at the new retrieval position, the retrieval position is moved back to the immediately preceding object; and the object at this position is identified as an outer peripheral object and the retrieval position is then moved again in the first Y-direction; and (c1-2) if no object exists in the first Y-direction, the retrieval position is moved inward in the X-direction; if an object exists in the position to which the retrieval position has been moved, the object is identified as an outer peripheral object, and the retrieval position is then moved again in the first Y-direction; and if no object exists in the position to which the retrieval position has been moved, the Y-direction ends are retrieved; and (c2) performing Y-direction end retrieval to retrieve each object formed on the outer periphery, at the opposite ends in the Y-direction, by moving the retrieval position in a first X-direction from the outer peripheral object already identified as objects, to retrieve other objects to inspect, such that: (c2-1) if any object exists in the first X-direction, the retrieval position is further moved outward in the Y-direction; if no objects exist in the position to which the retrieval position has been moved, the retrieval position is moved back to the immediately preceding object, the immediately preceding object is identified as an outer peripheral object, and the retrieval position is then moved again in the first X-direction; and (c2-2) if no objects exist in the first X-direction, the retrieval position is moved inward in the Y-direction, and the X-direction ends are retrieved.