Patent ID: 12228590

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Please refer toFIG.1, which shows a schematic view of a wafer probe device100according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the wafer probe device100, for example, may be used for probing process for a semiconductor wafer. Through the wafer probe device100, the characteristics may be probed before the post-process to confirm whether there is a defective product or not. The structure of the wafer probe device100will be described in detail below.

Please continue to refer toFIG.1, the wafer probe device100includes a holder and a probe card20for probing a probed surface W1of the wafer W. The holder10is used to hold the wafer W and to move the wafer W to the probe card20for testing, the wafer probe device100further includes a transportation module30. For example, the wafers W is transported to the holder10using the transportation module30, then the wafer W is moved toward the probe card20through the holder10, the transportation module30includes a transport member31and a control unit32, and the transport member31may be a robotic arm that may hold the back side W2(opposite to the probed surface W1) of the wafer W for moving. For example, moving the wafer W from the wafer cassette (cassette) to the holder10. The control unit32is for controlling the transport member31, the transportation module30may be regarded as an external apparatus that transfer the wafer W.

In the present embodiment, the probe card20is disposed on the ground G, and the holder10is located above the probe card20, or the probe card20is located above the holder10. The holder is farther from the ground G when comparing to the probe card20. The wafer W to be probed is located between the holder10and the probe card20. The probe card20has a probe assembly21, which located at a probing side20S1of the probe card20. The probe assembly21extends away or faces away from the ground G, and extends towards holder10. The probing side20S1faces away from the ground G.

FIGS.2A-2Dshow schematic views of the holder10holding the wafer W. As shown inFIG.2A, in the present embodiment, the holder10has a main body11and a holder assembly12. The holder assembly12is disposed around the periphery of the main body11. The holder assembly12extends along the central axis10C of the holder10, and the holder assembly12may move relative to the main body11. Specifically, the holder assembly12has a plurality (in the present embodiment, three) holding members RD disposed around the main body11, if the main body11is regarded as a clock with a circular structure, the holding members RD are located at the three o'clock, six o'clock, and nine o'clock positions of the clock, respectively.

The holding member RD is in an L-shaped structure, and the holding member RD includes a bearing section RD1. As shown inFIG.2B, when the holder10is not carrying or holding the wafer W, the holder assembly12projects from the main body11toward the probe card20or the ground G. As the held position inFIG.2B, when moving the wafer W to the holder10by the transportation module30, the wafer W is placed on the bearing section RD1of each holding members RD via the transport member31; or the holding member RD moves, and the bearing section RD1is moved toward the wafer W. Thus, the wafer W is carried by the holding member, and the transportation module30may disconnected from the wafer W.

Next, as shown inFIG.2C, the holding members RD that carries the wafer W moves upwardly toward the main body W, or moves away from the probe card20or the ground G to make the back side W2of the wafer W abut against the main body11. As shown inFIG.3D, at this time, one may be regarded that a holding surface10H of the holder10is holds and carries the wafer W. In this way, the holder10holds the wafer W firmly. Then, the holder10may move the wafer W toward the probe card20, such as the moving direction D1, to probe the wafer W.

In this way, the probing efficiency may be improved through moving the holder above the probe card20. For example, the probe card20may be design to big enough when facing different wafer probing with various sizes and shapes. The setup mechanism of the probe card20may be simplified and it is unnecessary to move the probe card by setting-up mechanism with the ground G disposed below. Therefore, the time and efficiency of the probe procedure is improved. In addition, the wafer W and the probe card may be directly viewed when the wafer W and the probe card20are set for probing since the wafer W is held by the holder10to move downwardly toward the probe card20. This reduces the risk of operation, for example, the damage to the probed surface W1of the wafer W is avoided or reduced. Furthermore, since the probe card20probes the wafer W upwardly, the fragment generated due to friction when probing may fall down due to gravity. Compared with probing the wafer with the probe card downward, the fragment may be prevented from accumulated on the wafer W, and the risk of probe striking is avoided, thereby the quality of the process is greatly improved.

FIGS.3A-3Dshow schematic views of the holder10holding the wafer W of another embodiment. In the present embodiment, the holder10has an suction assembly13, which is disposed within the main body11of the holder10. The suction assembly13extends along the central axis10C of the holder10, and the suction assembly13may move relative to the main body11. The suction assembly13is for sucking the back side W2of the wafer W.

As shown inFIGS.3A and3B, the suction assembly13projects from the main body11and the back side W2of the wafer W is sucked by the suction assembly13when transporting the wafer W to the holder10by the transportation module30. Thus, the transportation module30transfers the wafer W to the holder10and exits. Thereafter, as shown inFIGS.3C and3D, the suction assembly13moves toward the main body11of the holder10to allow the main body11carry the wafer W stably. At this time, it may be regarded that the holding surface10H of the holder10holds and carries the wafer W. Thereafter, the holder10may move the wafer W toward the probe card20to probe the wafer W.

In the present embodiment, the suction assembly13has a plurality of (three) of the suction heads131assembly for absorbing the wafer W, the suction assembly13may have other numbers of suction heads131, for example, one, two, or four suction heads, the suction head131of the suction assembly13sucks the back side W2of the wafer W through vacuum suction.

FIGS.4A-4Bshow schematic views of the holder10including a holder assembly12and an suction assembly13of another embodiment. When transporting the wafer W to the holder10by the transportation module30, the wafer W is disposed at the bearing section RD1of the holder assembly12, or the bearing section RD1of the holder assembly12is moved to the wafer W at the corresponding position by the transportation module, so as to carry the wafer W. Moreover, the back side W2of the wafer W is sucked by the suction assembly13and is moved toward the main body11of the holder10.

FIG.5shows a schematic view of a wafer probe device200according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The wafer probe device200of the present embodiment performs wafer probing in a vertical manner. The wafer probe device200includes a holder10, a probe card20, and a transportation module30. The wafer W may be probed through the wafer probe device200. The details of the wafer probe device200will be described in detail below.

Please refer toFIGS.6A and6B, the abovementioned transportation module30is for transporting the wafer W to the holder10, wherein the transportation module30holds the back side of the wafer W. The wafer W is rotated from the horizontal state to the vertical state, such as the rotation direction R1, before rotating the wafer W, pre-alignment may be performed.

Next, as shown inFIG.6C, the wafer W in the vertical state is placed on the holder10, or the holder10is moved close to the wafer W, so that the holder10holds the wafer W, such as holds through the holding surface10H of the holder. Thereafter, as shown inFIG.6D, the wafer W is moved horizontally to the probe card20by the holder10, such as along the moving direction D1, to perform the wafer probe procedure, before moved the wafer W horizontally to the probe card20, performing the alignment of wafer W with the probe assembly21.

In some embodiments, the holder10may be an electrostatic chuck (E-Chuck) for providing a bias and for generating suction force, the holding surface10H of which has a copper wire. The copper wire may polarize the surface layer by voltage electric field and generate the suction force at the surface of the sucked object for holding. Thus, even if an abnormality of the power supply to the process plant occurs, the wafer W may still be sucked, the electrostatic chuck may use different of substrate materials, such as stainless steel, aluminum, glass, synthetic plastic.

It should be noted that the transportation module30turns the wafer W into vertical state (relative to the ground G) and then delivers it to the holder10. While the standing holder10(relative to the ground G) may be pushed horizontally to the probe card and the extending direction of the probe assembly21of the probe card20is parallel to the ground G, or is parallel to the central axis10C of the holder10. Thus, since the holder is in the standing state, the holding surface10H of the holder10that holds the wafer W is perpendicular to (or considered as substantially perpendicular to, for example, between +5 degrees to −5 degrees) the ground G. This allows directly observation of the overall condition during operation, which is helpful for probing.

In addition, since the objects are in an upright state, that is, the central axis10C of the holder10, the central axis WC of the wafer W and the extending direction of the probe21of the probe card are parallel to the ground G (or considered as substantially parallel to, for example, between +5 degrees to −5 degrees). The accumulation of the debris on the wafer W or the probe card20may be avoided the contact between the elements when the debris is generated. In addition, under the high-temperature test process, the hot air escapes upwardly. Compared with the traditional probe card20disposed above the holder10, the probe card20may be affected by the hot air, which may cause warpage, probe expansion, and probe deformation. The abovementioned problems may be effectively avoided.

In other embodiments, different holding disks and test tools may be used. For example, the horizontal wafers W placed in the JEDEC tray is taken out and put into the test tray (T-Tray) through the transport assembly30. The test tray is rotated for 90 degrees, so that the wafer W is in the horizontal state, and the wafer W is then horizontally pushed toward the Hi-Fix Socket for probing. After completing the probing, the test tray is rotated to turn the probed wafer W back to the horizontal state, and the wafer W is then put back to the JEDEC tray.

According to the foregoing embodiment, the present disclosure also provides a method for probing wafers. The method includes transferring or transporting the wafer to a holder by a transportation module, and the holder holds the wafer to move toward a probe card for probing process.

In some embodiments, the method for probing wafers further includes transporting the wafer to the holder assembly of the holder by the transportation module. The holder assembly moves toward the main body of the holder after carrying the holder assembly, letting the back side of the wafer abuts the main body, and moving the wafer toward the probe card by the holder, the method for probing wafers further includes transporting the wafer to the holder by the transporting module, sucking the back side of the wafer through the suction assembly of the holder and moving toward the main body of the holder, so that the back side of the wafer abuts the main body. The wafer is moved toward the probe card by the holder.

In some other embodiments, the method for probing wafers further includes transporting the wafer to the holder assembly of the holder by the transportation module. The holder assembly moves toward the main body of the holder after carrying the wafer, and the suction assembly of the holder sucks the back side of the wafer. The holder assembly and the suction assembly move toward the main body of the holder, so that the back side of the wafer abuts the main body, and the holder carries the wafer to move toward the probe card.

In some embodiments, the method for probing wafers further includes detecting wafer rotating the wafer from the horizontal state to the vertical (or upright) state (relative to the ground), then placing the wafer on the holder. The holder sucks the back side of the wafer, wherein the central axes of the holder and the wafer are parallel to the ground, the holder moves the wafer to toward the probe card along the central axis, wherein the extending direction of the probe of the probe card is parallel to the ground.

It should be noted that the features of various embodiments may be combined and used as long as they do not depart from or conflict to the spirit and the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the holder10inFIG.1may be an electrostatic chuck; the holder10inFIG.5may be mounted with the holder assembly12.

In summary, An embodiment of the present invention provides a wafer probe device, including: a holder, for holding a wafer; and a probe card, disposed on a ground, located between the holder and the ground, and located below the holder, with a probing side of the probe card facing away from the ground. The holder holds the wafer to move toward the probe card, and a probed surface of the wafer is in contact with the probe card.

Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a wafer probe device, including: a holder, having a holding surface, for holding a wafer; and a probe card, having a probing side, for probing the wafer. Wherein the holder and the probe card are disposed on the ground, and the holding surface of the holder and the probing side of the probe card are perpendicular to the ground. When the holder holds the wafer to move upwardly toward the probe card into a probing position, the probed surface of the wafer is in contact with the probe card, and the probe surface is perpendicular to the ground.

The abovementioned embodiments are described in sufficient detail, so that a person with ordinary skill in the art to which the invention belongs may implement the devices disclosed in this disclosure with the above description, and it must be understood that modifications and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present disclosure depends on the scope defined by the appended claims.