IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,474,397
Granted Patent B2
US 12,474,397 · App. 18/001,181 · Granted Nov 18, 2025

Semiconductor wafer

Inventors: Shoko Tatsumi (Musashino, JP); Masahiro Nada (Musashino, JP); Yasuhiko Nakanishi (Musashino, JP); Shigeru Kanazawa (Musashino, JP)
Assignee: NTT, INC.
G01R31/2855
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,474,397
App. No.
18/001,181
Granted
Nov 18, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

This semiconductor wafer has formed therein a plurality of chips, each of which has incorporated therein a semiconductor element to be tested. The semiconductor wafer is characterized by comprising: first pads which are formed on the chips, and to which a plurality of probe needles are connected, the probe needles being connected to the semiconductor elements and used for testing the semiconductor elements; and a second pad that is used for performing a contact check on the probe needles, the second pad having a conductive section greater in length than the distance between the centers of the first pads.

Claims (16)

1 . A semiconductor wafer formed with a plurality of chips each of which is formed with a semiconductor element to be inspected, the semiconductor wafer comprising:

a set of first pads each of which is formed on a chip of the plurality of chips and each of which is configured to be connected with a probe needle to be connected to the semiconductor element, the probe needle being used for inspection of the semiconductor element; and

a second pad configured to be used for contact check of the probe needle, the second pad corresponding to the set of first pads and having a conductive portion whose length is longer than a center-to-center distance of the set of first pads,

wherein the second pad is present outside a scribe line of the chip and is connected to a second pad of another adjacent chip.

2 . The semiconductor wafer according to claim 1 , wherein

the second pad is conductive to a part of the first set of pads within a range where inspection of the semiconductor element is not disturbed.

3 . The semiconductor wafer according to claim 1 , wherein

a plurality of the second pads are disposed for one chip.

4 . The semiconductor wafer according to claim 1 , wherein

the second pad includes a pad portion whose minimum width is equal to or larger than 50 μm, is disposed in the chip in a horizontally and vertically symmetrical manner, and is provided to every chip.

5 . The semiconductor wafer according to claim 1 , wherein

the second pad includes a conductive portion whose length is larger than the center-to-center distance of the set of first pads at at least one or more positions in each of a vertical direction and a horizontal direction of the chip.

6 . The semiconductor wafer according to claim 1 , wherein

the second pad is also used for flip-chip connection.

7 . The semiconductor wafer according to claim 1 , wherein

a plurality of the second pads are disposed in one chip, and all of the plurality of second pads are conductive.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 18, 2025
From: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
To: NTT, INC.
Reel/Frame 072507/0679 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 8, 2022
From: TATSUMI, SHOKO; NADA, MASAHIRO; NAKANISHI, YASUHIKO; KANAZAWA, SHIGERU
To: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062030/0277 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230228807A1 · Jul 20, 2023
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