IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,510,574
Granted Patent B2
US 10,510,574 · App. 16/132,278 · Granted Dec 17, 2019

Prober

Inventor: Hiroo Tamura (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Tokyo Seimitsu Co., Ltd.
H01L21/68G01R1/07307G01R31/2868G01R31/2893H01L21/67763H01L22/12H01L22/20H01L22/34G01R31/2887
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,510,574
App. No.
16/132,278
Granted
Dec 17, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Abbe error that needs to be considered in high accuracy positioning of a device to be maintained, is suppressed. A prober includes: a plurality of measurement sections arranged between a conveyance area and a maintenance area, each of the measurement sections having a device to be maintained which is used for inspection of a semiconductor element formed on a wafer, and a draw-out mechanism configured to draw out the device to be maintained to a side of the maintenance area; a conveyance unit configured to convey an object to be conveyed to a destination measurement section; and a loading part configured to load the object to be conveyed from the side of the maintenance area to the measurement section. The object to be conveyed is loadable into the measurement section from a conveyance area side and the maintenance area side.

Claims (32)

1. A prober comprising:

a plurality of measurement sections arranged between a conveyance area and a maintenance area, each of the measurement sections having a device to be maintained which is used for inspection of a semiconductor element formed on a wafer, and a draw-out mechanism configured to draw out the device to be maintained to a side of the maintenance area;

a conveyor configured to convey a probe card to a measurement section being a conveyance destination; and

a loader configured to load the probe card from the side of the maintenance area to the measurement section, wherein

the plurality of measurement sections are configured such that the probe card is loadable from a side of the conveyance area and the side of the maintenance area.

2. The prober according to claim 1 , wherein

the conveyor loads the probe card into the measurement section if the probe card is used for inspection of the semiconductor element, and

the loader loads the probe card into the measurement section if the probe card is used for calibration of a position of the measurement section.

3. The prober according to claim 1 , wherein

the conveyor loads the probe card if the probe card requires adjustment of environment, and

the loader loads the probe card if the probe card does not require adjustment of environment.

4. The prober according to claim 1 , wherein

the probe card that the loader loads into the measurement section is a calibration probe card.

5. The prober according to claim 1 , wherein

the probe card that the conveyor loads into the measurement section is a measuring probe card.

6. The prober according to claim 1 , wherein

a draw-out direction of the device to be maintained and a conveyance direction of the probe card are arranged on one straight line, and

the device to be maintained is a test head.

7. The prober according to claim 1 , wherein

a draw-out direction of the device to be maintained and a conveyance direction of the probe card are arranged on one straight line, and

the device to be maintained is a pogo frame arranged between a test head and the probe card.

8. A prober comprising:

a plurality of measurement sections arranged between a conveyance area and a maintenance area, each of the measurement sections having a device to be maintained which is used for inspection of a semiconductor element formed on a wafer, and a draw-out mechanism configured to draw out the device to be maintained to a side of the maintenance area;

a conveyor configured to convey a wafer to a measurement section being a conveyance destination; and

a loader configured to load the wafer from the side of the maintenance area to the measurement section, wherein

the plurality of measurement sections are configured such that the wafer is loadable from a side of the conveyance area and the side of the maintenance area.

9. The prober according to claim 8 , wherein

the conveyor loads the wafer if the wafer requires adjustment of environment, and

the loader loads the wafer if the wafer does not require adjustment of environment.

10. The prober according to claim 8 , wherein

a draw-out direction of the device to be maintained and a conveyance direction of the wafer are arranged on one straight line, and

the device to be maintained is a test head.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 19, 2018
From: TAMURA, HIROO
To: TOKYO SEIMITSU CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 046917/0315 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2016-055901 · Mar 18, 2016 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2016060790 · Mar 31, 2016
Related Publication 20190019711A1 · Jan 17, 2019