公开(公告)号：US6019663A

公开(公告)日：2000-02-01

申请号：US27018

申请日：1998-02-20

申请人： Larry D. Angell ,  Andrew J. Krivy

发明人： Larry D. Angell ,  Andrew J. Krivy

IPC分类号： B24B19/16 ,  B24B19/22 ,  B24B37/34 ,  G01R3/00 ,  B24B49/00

CPC分类号： B24B37/345 ,  B24B19/16 ,  B24B19/22 ,  G01R3/00

摘要： A system and method for cleaning probe pins on a probe card used in testing a semiconductor device during fabrication thereof. A ceramic cleaning wafer is utilized to clean the probe pins without having to remove the probe card from a production line. The same apparatus used to test production wafers also handles the cleaning wafer during a probe cleaning cycle. During operation of the cleaning cycle, the cleaning wafer is placed in a manual load tray, which inserts the cleaning wafer into a prober machine. The cleaning wafer is transported by a robotic trolley to a prealign stage area where the cleaning wafer is aligned and centered. The cleaning wafer is then placed on a support device. The support device and cleaning wafer are positioned under a pneumatic sensor and profiled to determine wafer planarity. The support device and cleaning wafer are then positioned underneath the probe pins on the probe card to be cleaned. Thereafter, the z-axis distance between the probe pins and the surface of the cleaning wafer is decreased such that the probe pins contact the cleaning wafer, thereby removing debris from the probe pins. The cleaning wafer is then removed from the support device when cleaning of the probe pins has been completed.

摘要翻译： 一种用于清洁在其制造期间用于测试半导体器件的探针卡上的探针的系统和方法。 陶瓷清洁晶片用于清洁探针，而无需从生产线上移除探针卡。 用于测试生产晶片的相同装置在探针清洁循环期间也处理清洁晶片。 在清洁周期的操作期间，清洁晶片被放置在手动装载盘中，其将清洁晶片插入探测机。 清洁晶片由机器人手推车运送到清洁晶片对准和居中的预对准阶段区域。 然后将清洁晶片放置在支撑装置上。 支撑装置和清洁晶片位于气动传感器下方并成型以确定晶片平面度。 然后将支撑装置和清洁晶片定位在待清洁的探针卡上的探针的下方。 此后，探针和清洁晶片的表面之间的z轴距离减小，使得探针与接触清洁晶片相接触，从而去除探针的碎屑。 然后当完成探针的清洁时，将清洁晶片从支撑装置中取出。

公开(公告)号：US06623345B2

公开(公告)日：2003-09-23

申请号：US09901941

申请日：2001-07-09

申请人： Larry D. Angell ,  Andrew J. Krivy

发明人： Larry D. Angell ,  Andrew J. Krivy

IPC分类号： B24D1100

CPC分类号： B24B37/345 ,  B24B19/16 ,  B24B19/22 ,  G01R3/00

摘要： A system and method for cleaning probe pins on a probe card used in testing a semiconductor device during fabrication thereof. A ceramic cleaning wafer is utilized to clean the probe pins without having to remove the probe card from a production line. The same apparatus used to test production wafers also handles the cleaning wafer during a probe cleaning cycle. During operation of the cleaning cycle, the cleaning wafer is placed in a manual load tray, which inserts the cleaning wafer into a prober machine. The cleaning wafer is transported by a robotic trolley to a prealign stage area where the cleaning wafer is aligned and centered. The cleaning wafer is then placed on a support device. The support device and cleaning wafer are positioned under a pneumatic sensor and profiled to determine wafer planarity. The support device and cleaning wafer are then positioned underneath the probe pins on the probe card to be cleaned. Thereafter, the z-axis distance between the probe pins and the surface of the cleaning wafer is decreased such that the probe pins contact the cleaning wafer, thereby removing debris from the probe pins. The cleaning wafer is then removed from the support device when cleaning of the probe pins has been completed.

公开(公告)号：US06257958B1

公开(公告)日：2001-07-10

申请号：US09495142

申请日：2000-01-31

申请人： Larry D. Angell ,  Andrew J. Krivy

发明人： Larry D. Angell ,  Andrew J. Krivy

IPC分类号： B24B4900

CPC分类号： B24B37/345 ,  B24B19/16 ,  B24B19/22 ,  G01R3/00

摘要： A system and method for cleaning probe pins on a probe card used in testing a semiconductor device during fabrication thereof. A ceramic cleaning wafer is utilized to clean the probe pins without having to remove the probe card from a production line. The same apparatus used to test production wafers also handles the cleaning wafer during a probe cleaning cycle. During operation of the cleaning cycle, the cleaning wafer is placed in a manual load tray, which inserts the cleaning wafer into a prober machine. The cleaning wafer is transported by a robotic trolley to a prealign stage area where the cleaning wafer is aligned and centered. The cleaning wafer is then placed on a support device. The support device and cleaning wafer are positioned under a pneumatic sensor and profiled to determine wafer planarity. The support device and cleaning wafer are then positioned underneath the probe pins on the probe card to be cleaned. Thereafter, the z-axis distance between the probe pins and the surface of the cleaning wafer is decreased such that the probe pins contact the cleaning wafer, thereby removing debris from the probe pins. The cleaning wafer is their removed from the support device when cleaning of the probe pins has been completed.

摘要翻译： 一种用于清洁在其制造期间用于测试半导体器件的探针卡上的探针的系统和方法。 陶瓷清洁晶片用于清洁探针，而无需从生产线上移除探针卡。 用于测试生产晶片的相同装置在探针清洁循环期间也处理清洁晶片。 在清洁周期的操作期间，清洁晶片被放置在手动装载盘中，其将清洁晶片插入探测机。 清洁晶片由机器人手推车运送到清洁晶片对准和居中的预对准阶段区域。 然后将清洁晶片放置在支撑装置上。 支撑装置和清洁晶片位于气动传感器下方并成型以确定晶片平面度。 然后将支撑装置和清洁晶片定位在待清洁的探针卡上的探针的下方。 此后，探针和清洁晶片的表面之间的z轴距离减小，使得探针与接触清洁晶片相接触，从而去除探针的碎屑。 当清洁探针时，清洁晶片从支撑装置上移除。

公开(公告)号：US06254469B1

公开(公告)日：2001-07-03

申请号：US09495191

申请日：2000-01-31

申请人： Larry D. Angell ,  Andrew J. Krivy

发明人： Larry D. Angell ,  Andrew J. Krivy

IPC分类号： B24D1100

CPC分类号： B24B37/345 ,  B24B19/16 ,  B24B19/22 ,  G01R3/00

摘要： A system and method for cleaning probe pins on a probe card used in testing a semiconductor device during fabrication thereof. A ceramic cleaning wafer is utilized to clean the probe pins without having to remove the probe card from a production line. The same apparatus used to test production wafers also handles the cleaning wafer during a probe cleaning cycle. During operation of the cleaning cycle, the cleaning wafer is placed in a manual load tray, which inserts the cleaning wafer into a prober machine. The cleaning wafer is transported by a robotic trolley to a prealign stage area where the cleaning wafer is aligned and centered. The cleaning wafer is then placed on a support device. The support device and cleaning wafer are positioned under a pneumatic sensor and profiled to determine wafer planarity. The support device and cleaning wafer are then positioned underneath the probe pins on the probe card to be cleaned. Thereafter, the z-axis distance between the probe pins and the surface of the cleaning wafer is decreased such that the probe pins contact the cleaning wafer, thereby removing debris from the probe pins. The cleaning wafer is then removed from the support device when cleaning of the probe pins has been completed.

摘要翻译： 一种用于清洁在其制造期间用于测试半导体器件的探针卡上的探针的系统和方法。 陶瓷清洁晶片用于清洁探针，而无需从生产线上移除探针卡。 用于测试生产晶片的相同装置在探针清洁循环期间也处理清洁晶片。 在清洁周期的操作期间，清洁晶片被放置在手动装载盘中，其将清洁晶片插入探测机。 清洁晶片由机器人手推车运送到清洁晶片对准和居中的预对准阶段区域。 然后将清洁晶片放置在支撑装置上。 支撑装置和清洁晶片位于气动传感器下方并成型以确定晶片平面度。 然后将支撑装置和清洁晶片定位在待清洁的探针卡上的探针的下方。 此后，探针和清洁晶片的表面之间的z轴距离减小，使得探针与接触清洁晶片相接触，从而去除探针的碎屑。 然后当完成探针的清洁时，将清洁晶片从支撑装置中取出。