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Timestamp: 2018-03-21 03:30:22
Document Index: 115105054

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 201', 'art 202', 'art 206', 'art 206', 'art 205', 'art 207', 'art 201', 'art 202', 'art 203', 'art 251', 'art 255', 'art 205', 'art 206', 'art 207', 'art 231', 'art 232', 'art 233', 'art 234', 'art 235', 'art 236', 'art 237', 'art 252', 'art 253', 'art 254', 'art 255', 'art 205', 'arts 205', 'art 238', 'art 239', 'art 207', 'art 201', 'art 202', 'art 203', 'art 205', 'art 206', 'art 207', 'art 231', 'art 232', 'art 233', 'art 234', 'art 235', 'art 236', 'art 237', 'art 205', 'art 205', 'art 251', 'art 255', 'art 252', 'art 253', 'art 254', 'art 205', 'art 238', 'art 239', 'art 207']

Method and apparatus for manufacturing electronic circuit board - Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
United States Patent 8112883
Nakasu, Nobuaki (Kawasaki, JP)
12/136148
29/566.3, 29/701, 29/830, 382/149, 700/121, 700/124
H05K3/02
29/830, 29/846, 29/847, 29/701, 29/566.3, 29/703, 29/705, 29/709, 29/731, 382/149, 700/121, 700/124
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7547560 Defect identification system and method for repairing killer defects in semiconductor devices 2009-06-16 Patterson et al. 438/4
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6219113 Method and apparatus for driving an active matrix display panel 2001-04-17 Takahara 349/42
6047083 Method of and apparatus for pattern inspection 2000-04-04 Mizuno 382/141
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JP2007163892A 2007-06-28 DEFECT CORRECTION APPARATUS AND DEFECT CORRECTION METHOD
JP2007316244A 2007-12-06
1. An apparatus for manufacturing an electronic circuit board on which are provided a plurality of first wirings placed side by side, a plurality of second wirings placed in a direction across from the plurality of the first wirings, and electric circuit patterns formed as a combination of the plurality of the first wirings and the plurality of the second wirings, comprising: a defect detecting part detects a defect by electrically inspecting each of the plurality of the first wirings and the plurality of the second wirings and specifies an electric circuit pattern which has the defect; a defect-type specifying part specifies a type of the defect in the electric circuit pattern which has been detected through the electric inspection; a defect position specifying part acquires an image of the specifying electric circuit pattern that contains the defect and detects a position of the defect in the acquired image; a modification specifying part selects a defect existing region information stored in a storage device according to the type of the defect and determines a method of correcting the defect by comparing the position of the defect to the defect existing region information; and a defect correcting part corrects a defect existing area, wherein each of the plurality of the first wirings and each of the plurality of the second wirings forms data wirings and gate wirings; wherein specific position numbers of the gate wirings and the data wirings determines a location of a short-circuit; and wherein the defect type is specified according to which data wirings and gate wirings causes the short circuit.
5. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic circuit board according to the claim 1, further comprising: a modification completion determining part determines whether or not to complete the modification by acquiring an image of a modified region of an electric circuit.
A first embodiment according to the invention is now described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 6B. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a typical liquid crystal display panel. This liquid crystal display panel has a liquid crystal 40 sandwiched between substrates 9a and 9b which are preferably formed by two sheets of glass. The liquid crystal display panel controls the direction (orientation) of liquid crystal molecules constituting the liquid crystal 40 by electric field generated by a pixel electrode 34 and an opposed electrode 41 within a capacitor to control light transmittance of a backlight 45. A circuit for controlling voltage applied to the pixel electrode 34 is provided on the substrate 9a, and a color filter is disposed on the substrate 9b so as to display a color image.
Since circuits constituted by thin film transistors such as pixel circuits and driving circuits are provided on the substrate 9a, the substrate 9a is called a thin film transistor substrate (TFT substrate). On the other hand, the substrate 9b is called an opposed substrate or a color filter substrate. The liquid crystal display panel shown in FIG. 2 is a so-called TN type panel on which not-shown counter electrodes (common electrodes) are provided on the inner surface of the opposed substrate 9b. Obviously, the invention is not limited to the TN type but may also be an IPS type which contains counter electrodes on the TFT substrate 9a side.
FIG. 3A is a plan view illustrating a main part of a typical pixel circuit mounted on the TFT substrate. FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along a line A-B in FIG. 3A. The circuit provided on the TFT substrate 9a has a plurality of laminated patterns. The thin-film multilayer circuit formed on the TFT substrate 9a includes gate electrodes 31, a silicon semiconductor film (a-Si in this example) 32, data wirings 33, source electrodes 33a, drain electrodes 33b, pixel electrodes 34, a gate insulation film 35, a protection film 38, and others. The pixel electrodes 34 are connected with the source electrodes 33a via through holes 37.
A thin-film transistor part constituted by the silicon semiconductor film 32 corresponds to a semiconductor switch. When predetermined voltage is applied to the gate electrode 31a, the semiconductor switch is turned on. Then, voltage applied to the drain electrode 33b via the data wiring 33 is given to the pixel electrode 34 via the source electrode 33a to drive the liquid crystal. When the semiconductor switch is turned off by decreasing the voltage applied to the gate electrode 31, the voltage of the capacitor formed by the pixel electrode 34 and the counter electrode 41 is maintained. The insulation film 35 is provided between the gate electrode 31a and the silicon semiconductor film 32 and between the gate wiring 31 or gate electrode 31a and data wiring 33, the drain electrode 33b or the source electrode 33a so as to prevent short-circuit between these wirings or electrodes.
FIG. 4 illustrates layout of a typical pixel circuit on the liquid crystal display panel. FIG. 4 does not show the silicon semiconductor film 32 and the insulation film 35 for simplifying the explanation. The gate wirings 31 and the data wirings 33 cross each other at right angles on the TFT substrate 9a, and the plural wirings of both types are disposed at equal intervals to form a matrix. In FIG. 4, reference numbers G1 through G4 are given to the respective gate wirings 31, and reference numbers S1 through S9 are given to the respective data wirings 33 to identify these wirings. As discussed above, gate electrodes are connected with the gate wirings 31, and drain electrodes are connected with the data wirings 33.
The liquid crystal display panel controls voltage applied to one pixel electrode 34 via one gate wiring 31 and one data wiring 33. For example, the liquid crystal display panel controls the pixel electrode 34a by G4 of the gate wirings 31 and S5 of the data wirings 33. Pads 36 in contact with probes 61a and 61b of a resistance measuring device 62 are provided at the respective ends of the gate electrodes 31 and the data wirings 33. According to an example of short-circuit inspection method, the probes 61a and 61b of the resistance measuring device 62 are attached to the pad 36 of G1 of the gate wirings 31 and the pad 36 of S1 of the data wirings 33, respectively, to measure electric resistance, for example. When the resistance obtained by the measurement is smaller than a value measured beforehand, it is judged that short-circuit has been caused. Similarly, short-circuit between G1 and G2 of the gate wirings 31 and short-circuit between S1 and S2 of the data wirings 33 can be detected, for example.
FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating a main part where short-circuit defect is produced by a foreign material having entered the insulation film provided between the gate electrode and the drain electrode. While only an example of short-circuit defect caused by a foreign material is shown in this embodiment, the technology of the invention is applicable to correction of short-circuit caused for other reasons such as loss of the insulation film 35 and short-circuit within the same layer. Since difference voltages are applied to the gate electrode 31a and the drain electrode 33b, the circuit does not operate in the normal condition at the time of short-circuit. Thus, laser beam is applied to a cutting position 52 to cut the drain electrode 33b from the data wirings 33 and correct the short-circuit defect.
However, a general electric inspection method specifies not the portion containing the defect of short-circuit, but only the gate electrode 31a and drain electrode 33b causing the short-circuit. Moreover, the cutting position 52 varies according to the defect types and circuit patterns. Thus, the operator is required to specify the defect portion and determine the cutting position 52 for each defect for removal of the defect portion.
FIG. 1 shows steps of an electronic circuit board manufacturing method according to the first embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 1, this method uses information about the positions of the gate electrode 31a and the drain electrode 33b, or the positions of the plural gate electrodes 31a or the plural drain electrodes 33a causing short-circuit, and the defect types based on the detection of electric inspection. By this method, the position and type of the defect causing short-circuit can be specified, and the cutting position 52 can be automatically selected to correct the defect.
The pixel circuit of the liquid crystal display panel contains the gate electrodes 31 and the source electrodes 33 crossing one another at right angles, and uses a pair of the gate electrode 31a and the drain electrode 33b to control one pixel. Thus, the gate electrode 31 and the source electrode 33 associated with the defective pixel can be specified based on the pixel causing defect. Also, the types of defect such as short-circuit defect caused by the gate electrode 31a and the drain electrode 33b or by one and another gate electrodes 31a can be specified from the numbers of the electrodes in contact with the probe 61 during inspection, for example.
Then, a reference point coordinates calculating step 104 is performed based on design information of the circuit stored in advance and the positions of the gate electrode 31a and the drain electrode 33b obtained from the inspection device. When the reference point is the cross point of the gate electrode 31a and the drain electrode 33b, the reference point can be easily calculated from the coordinates of the first electrode and the electrode intervals stored in advance due to the equal intervals of the gate electrodes 31a and the drain electrodes 33b. Alternatively, a position shifted from the cross point of the gate electrode 31a and the drain electrode 33b by a predetermined amount may be determined as the reference point. Also, reference point coordinates stored in association with the numbers of the gate electrode 31a and the drain electrode 33b may be used as the reference point.
Then, a defect (to be corrected) specifying step 108 is executed. FIG. 6A is a plan view illustrating a main part of another cutting position at the time of short-circuit defect as a figure corresponding to FIG. 5. FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view taken along a line C-D in FIG. 6A. The defect detected and extracted in the defect extracting step 107 includes a foreign material 51b which only adheres to the substrate (pixel electrode 34 in this example) but does not cause short-circuit as well as the foreign matter 51a causing short-circuit shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B. Removal of the foreign material 51b is not only a process different from the process contributing to correction of short-circuit, but also a process causing damage to the pixel electrode 34. Thus, removal of the foreign material 51b is a process to be eliminated.
The areas having possibility of containing short-circuit defect are determined for each defect type according to the layout of wirings and electrodes. The areas which possibly include defect causing short-circuit are herein defined as defect existing areas. For example, short-circuit of the gate electrode 31 and the drain electrode 33b shown in FIG. 6A is only caused in defect existing areas 60a and 60b indicated by dashed lines. Thus, the foreign material 51a causing the short-circuit can be specified by comparing the detected positions of the foreign materials 51a and 51b with the defect existing areas 60a and 60b stored in a memory unit to be described later for each defect type beforehand. The coordinates of the foreign material 51a correspond to the defect coordinates.
Then, a cutting position selecting step 109 is performed. Cutting positions 52a and 52b are stored in the memory unit to be described later in advance for each defect type and each of the defect existing areas 60a and 60b. For example, in case of short-circuit defect of the gate electrode 31 and the source electrode 33 shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the correction target defect exists in the defect existing area 60a. Thus, the cutting position 52a is selected, and a cutting step 110 is now executed. While the case of one cutting position is shown in this example, plural positions may be cut. The cutting position may be cut by using laser beam, micro-manipulator, micro-plasma, or other cutting method.
Then, a cutting finish judging step 111 is performed. An image at the cutting position 52a is obtained to judge whether cutting has been completed or not. When it is judged that cutting is not completed, the cutting step 110 is again executed. The cutting finish judging step 111 may be carried out by inspection such as optical inspection and electric inspection. When cutting is not completed even after repetition of the cutting finish judging step 111 predetermined times, the operation is suspended. Warning may be generated at the time of suspension.
The short-circuit defect inspection part 201 is a unit for attaching the probe 61 (61a and 61b in FIG. 4) to the pads of all the gate wirings 31 and data wirings 33, and measuring electric resistance between the gate wirings 31 and the data wirings 33, for example. The defect position specifying part 202 recognizes the condition of short-circuit defect when the measured electric resistance is smaller than a predetermined set value, and specifying the position numbers of the gate wiring 31 and data wiring 33 causing short-circuit from the origin of the board, for example.
It is possible to determine the reference point as a position shifted by the amount of offset from the cross point of the gate wiring 31 and the data wiring 33. For example, a reference point 72a shifted by the amount of offset stored beforehand from a cross point 71 of the gate wiring 31 and the data wiring 33 as illustrated in FIG. 14.
A correction finish judging part 206 is included in the inspection unit 200 as a unit for judging completion of the cutting from the result of the electric inspection. When it is judged that the correction has not been completed, the correction finish judging part 206 transmits a signal to a correction device 240 via a communication part 205a to perform correction again. A warning generating part 207 is a unit for generating warning when the cutting completion judgment is not made even after the steps of cutting and cutting completion judgment are repeated predetermined times.
While one device including the inspection unit, the correction unit and the memory unit is shown in FIG. 7, an inspection device 210 and the correction device 240 may be separate devices as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. The inspection device 210 shown in FIG. 10 includes the short-circuit defect detecting part 201, the defect position specifying part 202, the defect type specifying part 203, the inspection condition storing part 251, an inspection result storing part 255a, a communication part 205a, the correction finish judging part 206, and the warning generating part 207. The correction device 240 includes the reference point coordinates calculating part 231, the reference point coordinates correcting part 232, the image acquisition part 233, the defect extracting part 234, the correction target defect specifying part 235, the cutting position specifying part 236, the defect correcting part 237, the circuit design storing part 252, the defect existing area storing part 253, the cutting position storing part 254, an inspection result storing part 255b, and a communication part 205b. The communication parts 205a and 205b are units through which inspection results are transmitted between the inspection device 210 and the correction device 240. As illustrated in FIG. 11, the correction target portion image acquiring part 238, the correction finish judging part 239, and the warning generating part 207 may be contained in the correction device 240.
Alternatively, as illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, the inspection device 210, the correction device 240, and a memory device 260 may be separately provided. The inspection device shown in FIG. 12 includes the short-circuit defect detecting part 201, the defect position specifying part 202, the defect type specifying part 203, the communication part 205a, the correction finish judging part 206, and the warning generating part 207. The correction device 240 includes the reference point coordinates calculating part 231, the reference point coordinates correcting part 232, the image acquisition part 233, the defect extracting part 234, the correction target defect specifying part 235, the cutting position specifying part 236, the defect correcting part 237, and the communication part 205b. The memory device 260 includes a communication part 205c, the inspection condition storing part 251, the inspection result storing part 255, the circuit design storing part 252, the defect existing area storing part 253, and the cutting position storing part 254. The inspection information required by the inspection device 210, the correction information required by the correction device 240, and the inspection results are stored in the memory unit 260, and are obtained via the communication part 205. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 13, the correction portion image acquiring part 238, the correction finish judging part 239, and the warning generating part 207 may be contained in the correction device 240.
A further embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to FIGS. 16 and 17. FIG. 16 illustrates a defect existing area according to a third embodiment of the invention. In this example, a plurality of defect existing areas 60a, 60b, 60c and 60d are defined. FIG. 17 shows a table for associating cutting positions with the defect existing areas. In FIG. 17, the table associates the cutting positions with defect types with one-to-one correspondence.
In case of the defect existing area 60 containing the plural defect existing parts as illustrated in FIG. 16, there is a possibility that a defect expands in the plural parts. In the condition where the cutting position 52 is stored in association with the defect existing area 60, the defect existing area 60a having the highest priority is selected by referring to the priorities given to the respective parts of the defect existing area 60. As a result, the cutting position 52a is determined. It is possible to define a plurality of positions as the cutting position 52 for one defect existing area 60. While the defect existing area 60 has a rectangular shape in this embodiment, the defect existing area 60 is not required to be rectangular. It is preferable that the defect existing area 60 is specified as polygon-shaped. A plurality of parts of the defect existing area 60 may have the same priority. In this case, the cutting positions 52 determined in the parts of the defect existing area 60 and having the same priority are all cut off.
A still further embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to FIGS. 18 and 19. FIG. 18 illustrates a defect existing area according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. FIG. 19 shows a table for associating cutting positions with the defect existing area. It is known that short-circuit is caused when a defect expands in two electrodes. Thus, as viewed in a defect image, a defect expands in two electrodes or exists at the cross section of two electrodes. In this embodiment, the defect existing areas 60a and 60b are defined for each of two electrodes, and judges that short-circuit has been caused when a defect expands in the two defect existing areas.
For example, the defect existing area 60b is defined on the gate wiring 31 and the gate electrode 31a, and the defect existing area 60a is defined on the data wiring 33 and the drain electrode 33b. In this case, it is judged that short-circuit has been caused between the gate wiring 31 and the data wiring 33 when a defect exists on both the defect existing areas 60a and 60b. The short-circuit judgment rule is determined based on a table shown in FIG. 19, and stored beforehand. By using the short-circuit judgment rule, a defect expanding between the defect existing areas 60a and 60c defined on the same data wiring 33 is not erroneously judged as short-circuit. For judgment of short-circuit caused at the cross section of the gate wiring 31 and the data wiring 33, only the defect existing area 60d is defined as shown in No. 3 of the table in FIG. 19. Similarly to the case of the third embodiment, priorities are established in the short-circuit judgment rule, and the rule having high priority is selected.
A still further embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to FIGS. 20 through 22. FIG. 20 illustrates a system structure in a fifth embodiment of the invention. As illustrated in FIG. 20, an electronic circuit board 9 on which repeated patterns are formed is carried to a correction device, and then the electronic circuit board 9 is positioned at a predetermined inspection position 305. Two of probes 61a, 61b, 61c and 61d are attached to the pads 36 of wires to be inspected, and electric resistance value is measured by using a resistance measuring device 62 (not shown) provided on an inspection controller 311. In this case, the measurement conditions such as short-circuit judgment threshold values to be used are stored in an integrated controller 310 or the inspection unit controller 311. When the measured electric resistance value is smaller than the threshold value, it is judged that short-circuit has been caused. Then, the defect type and the number of the electrode causing the defect are stored in the integrated controller 310.
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