Patent Publication Number: US-11655992-B2

Title: Measuring system

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a measuring system, and to a measuring system including a temperature-variable container, an optical device and an air conditioner. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A semiconductor device package may undergo certain reliability tests. For example, the semiconductor device package may be placed in a temperature-variable environment (e.g. an oven) for subsequent observation. An optical device (e.g. a digital image correlation (DIC) device) may be used to obtain images of the semiconductor device package during thermal cycles. The temperature-variable environment may be equipped with a transparent plate or a window to facilitate taking images of the semiconductor device package. However, convection (e.g. heat convection) between the optical device and the window may adversely affect images obtained by the optical device (e.g. image deviation, distortion, etc.). 
     SUMMARY 
     In one or more embodiments, a measuring system includes a temperature-variable container, an optical device and an air conditioner. The temperature-variable container includes a transparent plate. The optical device includes a first optical sensor unit and a second optical sensor unit. The air conditioner is disposed between the transparent plate and the optical device. 
     In one or more embodiments, a temperature-variable container includes a transparent plate and an air conditioner adjacent to the transparent plate. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee. 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram of a measuring system in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic diagram of an air conditioner in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic diagram of a side-sectional view of a temperature-variable container in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  4 A  is a schematic diagram of a side-sectional view of an air ventilation unit in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  4 B  is a schematic diagram of a side-sectional view of an air ventilation unit in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  5    is a depiction of a measuring system in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  6    is a depiction of a side-sectional view of a temperature-variable container in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  7 A  is a plot of the warpage of an object to be measured in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  7 B  and  FIG.  7 C  are diagrams showing warpage of an object to be measured in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and the detailed description to indicate the same or similar elements. Embodiments of the present disclosure will be readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Spatial descriptions, such as “above,” “below,” “up,” “left,” “right,” “down,” “top,” “bottom,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “side,” “higher,” “lower,” “upper,” “over,” “under,” and so forth, are indicated with respect to the orientation shown in the figures unless otherwise specified. It should be understood that the spatial descriptions used herein are for purposes of illustration, and that practical implementations of the structures described herein can be spatially arranged in any orientation or manner, provided that the merits of embodiments of this disclosure are not deviated from by such arrangement. 
       FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram of a measuring system  1  in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. The measuring system  1  includes a temperature-variable container  20 , a computer  100 , an optical device  30  and an air conditioner  40 . 
     The temperature-variable container  20  includes a transparent plate  22  and defines a space A for accommodating an object  28  to be measured. The optical device  30  includes an optical sensor unit  31  and an optical sensor unit  32 . The light source  33  emits the light towards the object  28 . In some embodiments, the object  28  may be or may include, for example, a wafer, a chip or a die. In some embodiments, the optical sensor unit  31  is a local camera and the optical sensor unit  32  is a global camera. The optical sensor unit  31  captures a plurality of local images of a plurality of local areas of the object  28 . The optical sensor unit  32  captures a global image of the object  28  (e.g. of an entire surface of the object  28 ). The global image and the local images can be approximately simultaneously captured and transmitted to the computer  100 . The global image and the local images can be processed and calculated by the computer  100  to obtain the images of the object  28  (including, for example, image deviation, distortion, and so forth). In some embodiments, the computer  100  may be a control unit including a processor and an associated memory. The computer  100  is connected to the temperature-variable container  20 , the optical device  30 , and the air conditioner  40  to direct operation of these components. In contrast to a single image detecting device, the local and global images captured simultaneously by two different optical sensor units  31  and  32  can provide an improved stereoscopic view (including in-plane deformation, distortion and warpage of the object  28 ). 
       FIG.  2    is a schematic diagram of the air conditioner  40  in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. The air conditioner  40  includes a processor  401 , a vent valve  42 , a temperature controlling device  50 , a temperature sensor  52 , an air ventilation unit  60 , a pipe  70 , a moving mechanism  80 , a moving mechanism  82  and a moving mechanism  83 . The processor  401  is wirelessly connected to the computer  100  and controlled by one or more signals generated by the computer  100 . In some embodiments, the processor  401  is connected to the computer  100  by a wired connection. A gas supply  41  is connected to the air ventilation unit  60  of the air conditioner  40  through the pipe  70 . In some embodiments, the gas supply  41  may supply an air flow to the air conditioner  40 . The vent valve  42  is controlled by the processor  401 . The vent valve  42  adjusts the amount of the air flow from the gas supply  41  based on the image quality captured by the optical device  30  or a signal associated with optical information. In some embodiments, the vent valve  42  adjusts the amount of the air flow based on temperature information of the temperature-variable container  20 . In some embodiments, the processor  401  controls the vent valve  42  to increase the amount of the air flow from the gas supply  41  when the maximum measured error of measured values of the warpage of an object  28  exceeds a threshold value of about 10 micrometers (μm) (e.g. exceeds about 12 exceeds about 14 or exceeds about 16 μm). In some embodiments, the processor  401  controls the vent valve  42  to increase the amount of the air flow from the gas supply  41  when the maximum measured error of measured values of the warpage of an object  28  exceeds a threshold value of about 50 μm (e.g. exceeds about 55 exceeds about 60 or exceeds about 65 μm). 
     The temperature controlling device  50  and temperature sensor  52  are controlled by the processor  401 . The temperature controlling device  50  controls a temperature of the air flow in the pipe  70  based on the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor  52 . In some embodiments, the temperature controlling device  50  controls a temperature of an air flow ventilated from the air conditioner  40 . The air flow is supplied to the air ventilation unit  60  through the pipe  70 . The moving mechanism  80 ,  82  or  83  is controlled by the processor  401 . The moving mechanism  80 ,  82  or  83  controls the angle or direction of the air flow ventilated from the air ventilation unit  60 . In some embodiments, the moving mechanism  80 ,  82  or  83  controls the angle or direction of the air flow ventilated from the air ventilation unit  60  when the maximum measured error of measured values of the warpage of an object  28  exceeds a threshold value of about 10 μm (e.g. exceeds about 12 μm, exceeds about 14 μm, or exceeds about 16 μm). In some embodiments, the moving mechanism  80 ,  82  or  83  controls the angle or direction of the air flow ventilated from the air ventilation unit  60  when the maximum measured error of measured values of the warpage of an object  28  exceeds a threshold value of about 50 μm (e.g. exceeds about 55 μm, exceeds about 60 μm, or exceeds about 65 μm). The moving mechanism  80 ,  82  or  83  controls the position or rotated angle of the air ventilation unit  60 , and can be implemented as one or more actuators. The air provided by the air conditioner  40  may neutralize or mitigate convection above the transparent plate  22  shown in  FIG.  1   . The convection due to the increasing of the temperature of the space A of the temperature-variable container  20  may affect the measured result of the optical device  30 . The heat convection may cause the maximum measured errors to exceed about 110 μm. 
       FIG.  3    is a schematic diagram of a side-sectional view of a temperature-variable container  20  in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. The temperature-variable container  20  includes a housing  99  defining the space A, and the transparent plate  22  is affixed to the housing  99 . The temperature-variable container  20  may include a temperature controlling device  54 . In some embodiments, the temperature controlling device  54  may control the temperature within the space A of the temperature-variable container  20 . In some embodiments, the temperature controlling device  54  may be a heater, which can heat the temperature within the space A of the temperature-variable container  20 . The temperature within the space A of the temperature-variable container  20  can range from about 20 degrees Celsius (° C.) to about 280° C. In some embodiments, the temperature controlling device  54  may be cooler, which can cool the temperature within the space A of the temperature-variable container  20 . In some embodiments, the temperature within the space A of the temperature-variable container  20  can range from about −10° C. to about 10° C. The object  28  to be measured is disposed within the space A of the temperature-variable container  20 . 
     The air ventilation unit  60  of the air conditioner  40  is disposed on the temperature-variable container  20 . In some embodiments, the air ventilation unit  60  of the air conditioner  40  is disposed on the transparent plate  22  of the temperature-variable container  20 . The optical device  30  is disposed above the temperature-variable container  20  (not shown). In some embodiments, the air conditioner  40  is disposed between the transparent plate  22  and the optical device  30 . 
     The air ventilation unit  60  defines at least one hole  44   w . In some embodiments, the air ventilation unit  60  may be a wind knife. The air flow is ventilated from the hole  44   w  of the air ventilation unit  60 . In some embodiments, the air ventilation unit  60  may include a baffle unit  44  defining a plurality of holes  44   h  (e.g. as shown in  FIG.  4 A ). The moving mechanism  82  is operated to move the air conditioner  40  toward or away from the transparent plate  22 . In some embodiments, the moving mechanism  82  is operated to move the air ventilation unit  60  toward or away from the transparent plate  22 . In some embodiments, the moving mechanism  82  is operated to move the baffle unit  44  toward or away from the transparent plate  22 . In some embodiments, the air conditioner  40  comprising, for example, a wind knife, and/or a spray gun, may reduce or eliminate the vibration of the transparent plate  22  thereby improving accuracy/quality of the obtained images. 
     The moving mechanism  80  is operated to rotate the air conditioner  40 . In some embodiments, the moving mechanism  80  is operated to rotate the air ventilation unit  60  of the air conditioner  40 . In some embodiments, the moving mechanism  80  is operated to rotate the baffle unit  44 . In some embodiments, a distance between the hole  44   w  of the wind knife and the transparent plate  22  is in a range from approximately 1 centimeter (cm) to approximately 5 cm. 
     In some embodiments, the air conditioner  40  is disposed adjacent to the transparent plate  22 . In some embodiments, the transparent plate  22  may be, for example, a glass plate. A sensor  58  is disposed external to the temperature-variable container  20  and adjacent to the transparent plate  22 . The sensor  58  senses a temperature T 1  above the transparent plate  22 . In some embodiments, sensor  58  senses a temperature T 2  of the transparent plate  22 . A sensor  59  is disposed within the temperature-variable container  20 . The sensor  59  senses a temperature T 3  in the space A of the temperature-variable container  20 . In some embodiments, the temperature, volume, speed or angle of an air flow ventilated from the air conditioner  40  is controlled by the computer  100  based on one or more signals detected by the sensor  58  or the sensor  59 . The volume and speed can be increased when the temperature of the temperature-variable container  20  is increasing. The volume and speed can be decreased when the temperature of the temperature-variable container  20  is decreasing. In some embodiments, the temperature, volume, speed or angle of an air flow ventilated from the air conditioner  40  is controlled by the computer  100  based on image quality captured by the optical device  30  or a signal associated with optical information. In some embodiments, if the maximum measured errors (such as measured errors for warpage, deformation or strain) of an object  28  exceeds a threshold value of about 10 μm (e.g. exceeds about 12 exceeds about 14 or exceeds about 16 μm), the volume, speed or angle of an air flow ventilated from the air conditioner  40  will be controlled by the computer  100  to neutralize or mitigate the heat convection above the transparent plate  22 . 
     In some embodiments, the air flow is controlled to have a temperature in a range from approximately 40° C. to approximately 60° C. In some embodiments, the air flow is controlled to have a temperature in a range from approximately −10° C. to approximately 20° C. The temperature/speed/volume/angle of the air flow ventilated from the hole  44   w  is adjustable (e.g. based on temperature of the transparent plate  22  or temperature in the temperature-variable container  20  or image quality). 
       FIG.  4 A  is a schematic diagram of a side-sectional view of an air ventilation unit  60  in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. A depicted structure  4   a  of the air ventilation unit  60  may be a wind knife. An air flow is ventilated from the hole  44   w  of the air ventilation unit  60 . The hole  44   w  may be moved upward or downward by a moving mechanism  83 . The moving mechanism  83  is disposed within the air ventilation unit  60  and is not shown in  FIG.  4 A . A depicted structure  4   b  of the air ventilation unit  60  includes a baffle unit  44  defining a plurality of holes  44   h . The baffle unit is formed integrally (e.g. as a monolithic structure). An air flow is ventilated from the plurality of holes  44   h . The baffle unit  44  may be moved upward or downward by the moving mechanism  83 . A depicted structure  4   c  of the air ventilation unit  60  includes a baffle unit  44  defining a plurality of holes  44 W. The holes  44 W are partially blocked. The baffle unit  44  may be moved upward or downward by the moving mechanism  83 . Any one or more of the structures  4   a ,  4   b , and  4   c  can be implemented with the air ventilation unit  60 . 
       FIG.  4 B  is a schematic diagram of a side-sectional view of an air ventilation unit  60  in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. A depicted structure  4   d  of the air ventilation unit  60  includes a baffle unit  44  defining a plurality of holes  44   h . The baffle unit  44  includes a portion  44   a  and a portion  44   b  separated from each other. The portions  44   a  and  44   b  may be moved by the moving mechanism  83 . The portion  44   a  defines a plurality of holes  441   h  of the plurality of holes  44   h  and the portion  44   b  defines a plurality of holes  442   h  of the plurality of holes  44   h . The portion  44   a  moves relative to the portion  44   b . In a depicted state (a), the portion  44   a  and the portion  44   b  are separated from each other. In a depicted state (b), the portion  44   a  moves toward the portion  44   b . The location of the holes  441   h  of the portion  44   a  is overlapped with the location of the holes  442   h  of the portion  44   b . In a depicted state (c), one of the holes  441   h  of the portion  44   a  is overlapped with one of the holes  442   h  of the portion  44   b.    
       FIG.  5    is depiction of a measuring system  1  in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. The measuring system  1  includes a temperature-variable container  20 , a computer  100  (not shown), an optical device  30  and an air conditioner  40 . The air conditioner  40  is disposed between a transparent plate  22  and the optical device  30 . An air ventilation unit  60  of the air conditioner  40  is disposed adjacent to the transparent plate  22 . The transparent plate  22  is not covered by the air ventilation unit  60  of the air conditioner  40 . The air conditioner  40  is disposed between the optical device  30  and the transparent plate  22 . 
       FIG.  6    is a schematic diagram of a side-sectional view of a temperature-variable container  20  in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. An air ventilation unit  60 ′ is disposed adjacent to a transparent plate  22 . In some embodiments, the air ventilation unit  60 ′ may be a fan defining a hole  44   f . An air flow is ventilated from the hole  44   f . The air ventilation unit  60 ′ includes an absorber  68 . The absorber  68  is disposed on a bottom of the air ventilation unit  60 ′. A vibration may be generated when the fan is operating. The vibration may affect the measuring results of the optical device  30  and cause measurement errors. The absorber  68  below the fan may receive and dissipate the vibration generated by the fan and help to reduce the measurement errors. The absorber  68  may include, for example, an elastomer or another shock absorbing material. 
       FIG.  7 A  is a plot of the warpage of an object  28  to be measured in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. The temperatures along the x-axis ranging from 30° C. to 260° C. correspond to a heating temperature within the space A of the temperature-variable container  20 . The temperatures ranging from 260° C. to 30° C. along the x-axis correspond to the cooling temperature within the space A of the temperature-variable container  20 . The plot  90  represents the warpage of an object  28  without air flow ventilated from the air ventilation unit  60 . The maximum measured errors in the plot  90  appears when the space A of the temperature-variable container  20  is cooling from temperature the 260° C. to 200° C. The maximum measured errors in the plot  90  exceed 110 μm. The plot  92  represents the warpage of an object  28  with air flow ventilated from the air ventilation unit  60 . The maximum measured errors in the plot  92  appears when the space A of the temperature-variable container  20  is cooling from temperature the 260° C. to 200° C. The maximum measured errors in the plot  92  are less than 10 μm. 
       FIG.  7 B  and  FIG.  7 C  are diagrams showing warpage of an object  28  to be measured in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. The diagram of  FIG.  7 B  represents measured values of the warpage of an object  28  without air flow ventilated from the air ventilation unit  60  when heating is at about 260° C. The maximum measured error is about 41.1 μm (128.3 μm-87.2 μm). The diagram of  FIG.  7 C  represents measured values of the warpage of an object  28  with air flow ventilated from the air ventilation unit  60  when heating is at about 260° C. The maximum measured error is about 5.68 μm (55.48 μm-49.8 μm). Thus, use of the air flow ventilated from the air ventilation unit  60  can reduce the maximum error. 
     As used herein, the terms “approximately,” “substantially,” “substantial” and “about” are used to describe and account for small variations. When used in conjunction with an event or circumstance, the terms can refer to instances in which the event or circumstance occurs precisely as well as instances in which the event or circumstance occurs to a close approximation. For example, when used in conjunction with a numerical value, the terms can refer to a variation of less than or equal to ±10% of the numerical value, such as less than or equal to ±5%, less than or equal to ±4%, less than or equal to ±3%, less than or equal to ±2%, less than or equal to ±1%, less than or equal to ±0.5%, less than or equal to ±0.1%, or less than or equal to ±0.05%. Thus, the term “approximately equal” in reference to two values can refer to a ratio of the two values being within a range between and inclusive of 0.9 and 1.1. 
     Additionally, amounts, ratios, and other numerical values are sometimes presented herein in a range format. It is to be understood that such range format is used for convenience and brevity and should be understood flexibly to include numerical values explicitly specified as limits of a range, but also to include all individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly specified. 
     As used herein, the singular terms “a,” “an,” and “the” may include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In the description of some embodiments, a component provided “on” or “over” another component can encompass cases where the former component is directly on (e.g., in physical contact with) the latter component, as well as cases where one or more intervening components are located between the former component and the latter component. 
     While the present disclosure has been described and illustrated with reference to specific embodiments thereof, these descriptions and illustrations do not limit the present disclosure. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims. The illustrations may not necessarily be drawn to scale. There may be distinctions between the artistic renditions in the present disclosure and the actual apparatus due to manufacturing processes and tolerances. There may be other embodiments of the present disclosure which are not specifically illustrated. The specification and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation, material, composition of matter, method, or process to the objective, spirit and scope of the present disclosure. All such modifications are intended to be within the scope of the claims appended hereto. While the methods disclosed herein have been described with reference to particular operations performed in a particular order, it will be understood that these operations may be combined, sub-divided, or re-ordered to form an equivalent method without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. Accordingly, unless specifically indicated herein, the order and grouping of the operations are not limitations of the present disclosure.