Patent Application
20250044350
The present invention relates generally to test technology with a probing assembly and more particularly, to a method of determining probing parameters for a probe system to test a device under test, and a method of operating a probe system, a probe system, a non-transitory computer-readable storage media, a method of testing an unpackaged semiconductor device, a method of producing a tested semiconductor device, and a tested semiconductor device, which use the aforementioned method of determining the probing parameters, and a method of generating a virtual mark image.
Referring to
Currently, before test begins, using a calibration substrate to determine the correct overdrive OD is necessary. However, this process is inconvenient and time-consuming. For example, in practical operation, the calibration substrate and the DUT have at least the difference in material. Therefore, even if the proper overdrive OD is obtained at the calibration substrate, it is still difficult to make sure that this overdrive OD, when being applied to the DUT, can make the probe tip 11 of the probe 10 stopped at the desired final contact position P2. When a calibration standard (testing circuit) on the calibration substrate serves as the DUT, multiple calibration measurements of overdrive OD are often required to determine which initial contact position P1 ensures the probe tip 11 stops at the desired final contact position P2. This process is not only inconvenient and time-consuming, but also causes wear and tear to the probe or the calibration standard due to repeated operation. Additionally, errors in the calibration of overdrive OD may result in inaccurate final contact positions P2 during practical testing, leading to incorrect test results. Especially, in high frequency testing, the accurate final contact position P2 is even more important. Further specifically speaking, once the overdrive OD is determined, this setting will be applied to all DUTs on a substrate. Therefore, individual adjustment of overdrive OD for each DUT to ensure the probe tip 11 stops at the desired final contact position P2 are impractical for achieving consistent and optimal testing results.
In addition, during the test, the use of an image-forming device, such as a microscope, is required for observing whether the probe tip 11 of the probe 10 initially contacts the contact pad 12 of the DUT at the desired initial contact position P1. However, the field of view (also referred to as “FOV”) of the image-forming device is very small. Therefore, the probe tip 11 of the probe 10 and the contact pad 12 of the DUT usually cannot be clearly recognized at the same time, unless the probe tip 11 of the probe 10 and the contact pad 12 of the DUT are on the same plane. But when on the same plane, the probe tip 11 of the probe 10 and the contact pad 12 of the DUT are already in contact with each other. It can be seen that even if the desired initial contact position P1 is known, it is still difficult to position the probe tip 11 of the probe 10 at the desired initial contact position P1 accurately. Therefore, it is difficult to produce consistent probe scratch, so that it is difficult to keep the testing performance of the probing assembly on the DUT great and consistent.
The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above-noted circumstances. It is an objective of the present invention to provide a method of determining probing parameters for a probe system to test a DUT, which can obtain the required probing parameters conveniently and quickly to enable the probing assembly to provide great and consistent testing performance.
To attain the above objective, the present invention provides a method of determining probing parameters for a probe system to test a DUT, which includes the steps of:
As a result, the SD-OD relation dataset can be stored in the controller beforehand. Alternatively, the relation between the skate distance and the overdrive can be measured with a calibration substrate before the test begins, and this relation dataset is then established in the controller. Afterward, providing predetermined skate distance value or overdrive value and the predetermined probe target position or the present probe position, the controller can use this relation dataset to calculate both the skate distance value and the overdrive value. Additionally, depending on the requirements of different alignment manners, the corresponding parameter can be calculated. For example, using the probe target position and the skate distance value to determine the position at which the probe tip should start contacting the contact pad of the DUT, such as the initial contact position P1 shown in
Preferably, as the example given in the previous paragraph, the probe target position is provided to the controller. The aforementioned position for positioning the probing assembly and the DUT to each other is a probe contact position. The probe contact position is the position, at which the probe tip of the probe is predetermined to start contacting the contact pad of the DUT, for the probe tip of the probe to be positioned at the probe contact position.
As a result, once the controller has determined the probe contact position, the probe tip of the probe can be directly positioned there before initiating the overdrive ON process, ensuring it reaches the desired probe target position.
More preferably, the method of determining the probing parameters for the probe system to test the DUT further includes the step of affirming that both the probe contact position and the probe target position are within an acceptable scope corresponding in position to the contact pad of the DUT.
As described above, the controller can perform the calculation through the SD-OD relation dataset to make the skate distance value, the overdrive value, the probe contact position and the probe target position all known. Therefore, after both the probe contact position and the probe target position are known, it can be further affirmed whether the two positions both fall within the acceptable scope corresponding in position to the contact pad of the DUT. This ensures that the probe tip of the probe will make positive contact with the contact pad of the DUT throughout the entire overdrive process, producing a proper probe scratch and thereby ensuring the testing accuracy even more.
More preferably, the method of determining the probing parameters for the probe system to test the DUT further includes the step of generating, with the controller, a virtual alignment mark showing the probe contact position for the probe tip of the probe to be aligned with the virtual alignment mark.
As a result, when the user performs the manual alignment, even though the microscope can only clearly show the probe tip of the probe but the contact pad of the DUT is blurred and unclear, as long as the virtual alignment mark is shown on the screen, the user can position the probe tip of the probe at the probe contact position accurately by aligning the probe tip of the probe with the virtual alignment mark. After that, when an overdrive ON process is performed, the probe tip of the probe can be ensured to be stopped at the desired probe target position. Besides, in the automatically positioning condition, the virtual alignment mark can be also shown on the screen for the user to know the present situation.
Preferably, instead of providing the probe target position to the controller, the present probe position is provided to the controller. Accordingly, the aforementioned position for positioning the probing assembly and the DUT to each other is a relative target position, wherein the relative distance between the relative target position and the present probe position equals to the skate distance value, for positioning the probing assembly and the DUT to each other by making the relative target position and the probing assembly moved relative to the DUT simultaneously and making the relative target position relatively moved to a position corresponding to the contact pad of the DUT.
As a result, the aforementioned position corresponding to the contact pad of the DUT can be visually set by the user without providing numeral value thereof to the controller. More specifically speaking, the aforementioned position corresponding to the contact pad of the DUT can be the position, at which the user predetermines the probe tip to be stopped after skating on the contact pad of the DUT, similar to the aforementioned probe target position but not set with numeral value and visually decided by the user during the operation. Based on the skate distance value and the present probe position, the relative target position can be obtained by calculation for the user to relatively move the relative target position to the probe stopped position decided by the user. Alternatively, even if the probe target position is known, the positioning can be performed without using the probe contact position, but using the relative target position obtained by calculation to relatively move the relative target position to the probe target position. In such condition, the aforementioned position corresponding to the contact pad of the DUT is the probe target position. The relative target position is moved along with the probing assembly relative to the DUT. As long as the relative target position is relatively moved to the aforementioned position corresponding to the contact pad of the DUT, the probe tip of the probe is located at a proper position on the contact pad of the DUT so that after an overdrive ON process is performed, the probe tip of the probe will be stopped at the desired position.
More preferably, the method of determining the probing parameters for the probe system to test the DUT further includes the step of generating, with the controller, a virtual alignment mark showing the relative target position, for the virtual alignment mark to be relatively moved to the aforementioned position corresponding to the contact pad of the DUT, so as to make the relative target position relatively moved to the aforementioned position corresponding to the contact pad of the DUT.
As a result, when the user performs the manual alignment, even though the microscope cannot clearly show the contact pad of the DUT and the probe tip of the probe at the same time, as long as the virtual alignment mark is shown on the screen and the virtual alignment mark and the probing assembly are simultaneously moved relative to the DUT, the user can align the virtual alignment mark with the probe target position in the condition that the probe target position is also shown on the screen. Alternatively, in the condition that the contact pad of the DUT is clearly shown on the screen, the user can relatively move the virtual alignment mark to the visually set probe stopped position. In this way, the probe tip of the probe is located at a proper position on the contact pad of the DUT so that after an overdrive ON process is performed, the probe tip of the probe will be stopped at the desired position. Besides, in the automatically positioning condition, the virtual alignment mark can be also shown on the screen for the user to know the present situation.
Preferably, the SD-OD relation dataset is established with the probe system and a calibration substrate by a process including the steps of:
As a result, the user can provide various overdrives to perform the respective measurements at the calibration substrate to obtain the respective corresponding skate distances, so as to establish this SD-OD relation dataset in the controller. Afterward, when the probe whose type corresponds to this dataset is to be used to test the contact pad whose type corresponds to this dataset, the already established SD-OD relation dataset can be directly used to conveniently and quickly obtain the required probing parameters, thereby enabling the probing assembly to generate great and consistent testing performance.
The present invention further provides a method of operating a probe system, which corresponds to the above-described situation of performing the positioning by using the probe contact position. The probe system includes a probing assembly and a controller. The probing assembly includes a probe. The probe includes a probe tip for probing a contact pad of a DUT. The method of operating the probe system includes the steps of:
Through this operating method, accurate probing parameters can be obtained conveniently and quickly. Thereafter, using the probe contact position to perform the positioning and then using the overdrive value to perform the probing can allow the probing assembly to produce great and consistent testing performance, thereby achieving high testing accuracy.
The present invention further provides a method of operating a probe system, which corresponds to the above-described situation of performing the positioning by using the relative target position. The probe system includes a probing assembly and a controller. The probing assembly includes a probe. The probe includes a probe tip for probing a contact pad of a DUT. The method of operating the probe system includes the steps of:
Through this operating method, accurate probing parameters can be obtained conveniently and quickly. Thereafter, using the relative target position to perform the positioning and then using the overdrive value to perform the probing can allow the probing assembly to provide great and consistent testing performance, thereby achieving high testing accuracy.
The present invention further provides a probe system which includes a chuck, a probing assembly, an optical image-forming device, and a controller. The chuck includes a chuck support surface configured to support a substrate. The substrate includes one or more DUTs. The probing assembly includes a probe. The probe includes a probe tip. The probe is configured to test the DUT. The optical image-forming device is configured to receive the optical image of at least a part of the probe system, including the image of at least a part of the probing assembly. The controller is programmed to perform the above-described method of determining the probing parameters for the probe system to test the DUT.
With this probe system, accurate probing parameters can be obtained conveniently and quickly to enable the probing assembly to provide great and consistent testing performance, thereby achieving high testing accuracy.
The present invention further provides a non-transitory computer-readable storage media which includes computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct a probe system to perform the above-described method of determining the probing parameters for the probe system to test the DUT.
With this non-transitory computer-readable storage media, accurate probing parameters can be obtained conveniently and quickly to enable the probing assembly to provide great and consistent testing performance, thereby achieving high testing accuracy.
The present invention further provides a method of testing an unpackaged semiconductor device, which includes the steps of:
Through the method of testing the unpackaged semiconductor device, accurate probing parameters can be obtained conveniently and quickly to enable the probing assembly to provide great and consistent testing performance, thereby achieving high testing accuracy.
The present invention further provides a method of producing a tested semiconductor device, which includes the steps of:
The semiconductor device produced through this method has been tested in a way with great accuracy, thereby having ensured properties.
The present invention further provides a tested semiconductor device which includes an unpackaged semiconductor device including a plurality of contact pads. The unpackaged semiconductor device has been tested through a testing process which performs the above-described method of determining the probing parameters for the probe system to test the DUT to obtain a result, and then making the contact pads mechanically and electrically contacted according to the result.
As a result, the semiconductor device has been tested in a way with great accuracy, thereby having ensured properties.
The present invention further provides a method of generating a virtual mark image which represents a portion of a probe system. The probe system includes a probe and a substrate. The substrate includes one or more DUTs. The probe is configured to test the DUT. The method includes the steps of:
As a result, the representation of the probe contact position may be, for example, the aforementioned virtual alignment mark showing the probe contact position. The representation of the probe target position may be, for example, the aforementioned virtual alignment mark showing the relative target position. Even though the optical image-forming device cannot clearly show the contact pad of the DUT and the probe tip of the probe at the same time, the user can still perform the manual alignment to the probe and the DUT through the virtual mark image. Alternatively, in the automatically positioning condition, the user can know the present situation through the virtual mark image.
Preferably, the controller obtains, based on one of a skate distance value and an overdrive value and a skate distance to overdrive relation dataset, the other of the skate distance value and the overdrive value, and obtains, based on the skate distance value and the probe target position, the probe contact position.
In other words, in the above-described method of generating the virtual mark image, the probe contact position can be obtained by using the above-described method of determining the probing parameters for the probe system to test the DUT, so as to show the probe contact position in the virtual mark image for the manual alignment or automatic alignment between the probe and the DUT.
Preferably, the controller obtains, based on one of a skate distance value and an overdrive value and a skate distance to overdrive relation dataset, the other of the skate distance value and the overdrive value, and obtains, based on the skate distance value and a present probe position, a relative target position. The present probe position is the present position of the probe tip of the probe. The relative distance between the relative target position and the present probe position equals to the skate distance value.
In other words, in the above-described method of generating the virtual mark image, the relative target position can be obtained by using the above-described method of determining the probing parameters for the probe system to test the DUT, so as to show the relative target position in the virtual mark image for the manual alignment or automatic alignment between the probe and the DUT.
Preferably, in the present probe system image, the DUT is clearer than at least the probe tip of the probe. The aforementioned generating the virtual mark image includes generating a virtual alignment mark showing the probe contact position.
As a result, even though the optical image-forming device cannot clearly show the probe tip and the DUT, as long as the DUT is clear in the obtained present probe system image, the probe target position can be defined through the image and the probe contact position can be calculated accordingly, so as to make the virtual mark image include the virtual alignment mark showing the probe contact position. In this way, the user can perform the manual alignment to align the probe tip with the virtual alignment mark to position the probe tip at the probe contact position accurately. In the automatically positioning condition, the virtual alignment mark can be also provided for the user to know the present situation.
Preferably, in the present probe system image, at least the probe tip of the probe is clearer than the DUT. The aforementioned generating the virtual mark image includes generating a virtual alignment mark showing a relative target position. The relation between the relative target position and the present position of the probe tip is identical to the relation between the probe target position and the probe contact position.
As a result, even though the optical image-forming device cannot clearly show the probe tip and the DUT, as long as the probe tip is clear in the obtained present probe system image, the present probe position can be defined through the image and the relative target position can be calculated accordingly, so as to make the virtual mark image include the virtual alignment mark showing the relative target position. In this way, the user can perform the manual alignment to relatively move the relative target position to the probe stopped position decided by the user, so as to position the probe tip at the proper probe contact position.
Preferably, the aforementioned generating the virtual alignment mark includes determining the relative position of the virtual alignment mark with respect to the probe tip of the probe. The aforementioned generating the virtual mark image includes altering, based on at least a part of the determined relative position of the virtual alignment mark with respect to the probe tip, the virtual mark image to make the virtual mark image include the virtual alignment mark.
As a result, no matter in the above-described situation of generating the virtual alignment mark showing the probe contact position or the above-described situation of generating the virtual alignment mark showing the relative target position, the position of the probe tip can be obtained with the optical image-forming device and the relative position of the virtual alignment mark with respect to the probe tip can be determined accordingly, so that the virtual mark image can be added with the virtual alignment mark.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
First of all, it is to be mentioned that same or similar reference numerals used in the following embodiments and the appendix drawings designate same or similar elements or the structural features thereof throughout the specification for the purpose of concise illustration of the present invention. It should be noticed that for the convenience of illustration, the components and the structure shown in the figures are not drawn according to the real scale and amount, and the features mentioned in each embodiment can be applied in the other embodiments if the application is possible in practice. Besides, when it is mentioned that an element is disposed on another element, it means that the former element is directly disposed on the latter element, or the former element is indirectly disposed on the latter element through one or more other elements between aforesaid former and latter elements. When it is mentioned that an element is directly disposed on another element, it means that no other element is disposed between aforesaid former and latter elements.
Referring to
The chuck 21 includes a chuck support surface 211 along the X-axis and the Y-axis. The chuck support surface 211 is configured to support a substrate 30, such as a wafter. The substrate 30 includes one or more DUTs 31, such as unpackaged semiconductor devices sliced from the wafer. The DUT 31 includes a plurality of contact pads 311.
The probing assembly 22 includes a probe 221. The probe 221 includes a probe tip 222. The probe tip 222 of the probe 221 is configured to mechanically and electrically contact the contact pad 311 of the DUT 31, thereby testing the DUT 31. According to the testing requirements, the probe 221 may include any proper number of probe tip 222, such as one probe tip 222, two probe tips 222, three probe tips 222, or more than three probe tips 222. A common arrangement of two probe tips 222 includes a signal probe tip and a ground probe tip, also referred to as a GS (ground-signal) probe tip configuration. A common arrangement of three probe tips 222 includes a centrally located signal probe tip flanked by a pair of ground probe tips, also referred to as a GSG (ground-signal-ground) probe tip configuration.
The optical image-forming device 23 is configured to receive the optical image of at least a part of the probe system 20, including the image of at least a part of the probing assembly 22, especially the probe tip 222, and usually also including the image of at least a part of the substrate 30, especially the contact pad 311 of the DUT 31.
The controller 24 is electrically connected with the optical image-forming device 23 for obtaining the image received by the optical image-forming device 23. The controller 24 is programmed to perform the method of operating the probe system 20 as shown in
The electrically actuated positioning assembly 26 is connected with the probing assembly 22, and the electrically actuated positioning assembly 26 is also electrically connected with the controller 24. According to the testing requirements, the controller 24 controls the electrically actuated positioning assembly 26, so as to control the probing assembly 22 to move along the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis. In the present invention, the probing assembly 22 and the DUT 31 are relatively moved, which may be performed in a way that the electrically actuated positioning assembly 26 drives the probing assembly 22 to move, or another moving device (not shown) drives the chuck 21 to move. Therefore, the probe system 20 in the present invention is unlimited to include the electrically actuated positioning assembly 26 connected with the probing assembly 22.
In the method of operating the probe system 20 in this embodiment, a method of determining probing parameters for the probe system to test the DUT is performed at first, which includes the following step a) to step f).
a) Define a skate distance to overdrive relation dataset according to the type of the probe 221 of the probing assembly 22 of the probe system 20 and the type of the contact pad 311 of the DUT 31, wherein the skate distance is along the X-axis and/or Y-axis and the overdrive is along the Z-axis.
It should be mentioned here that different probe type, such as probe thickness, material, shape, and so on, and/or different contact pad type, such as contact pad material, and so on, will cause different relation between the skate distance and the overdrive, thereby corresponding to different SD-OD relation dataset. The SD-OD relation dataset, such as the diagram shown in
As shown in
As shown in
b) As the step S3 shown in
The skate distance and the overdrive mentioned in the present invention are the same in definition with the skate distance SD and the overdrive OD mentioned in the description of the related art as shown in
c) As the step S4 shown in
The user can firstly move the chuck 21 or the FOV of the optical image-forming device 23 to make the optical image-forming device 23 roughly find out the contact pad 311, and then fine adjust the FOV of the optical image-forming device 23 on the Z-axis to focus on the contact pad 311, thereby obtaining a clear image of the contact pad 311. After that, the user can define the probe target position P3 on the image for the controller 24 to receive the numeral value of the probe target position P3, and may even show the probe target position P3 on the image. The probing assembly 22 in this embodiment includes three probe tips 222 for testing three contact pads 311 of the DUT 31. Since the three probe tips 222 are displaced simultaneously, this embodiment only uses a dotted line to represent the probe target positions P3 of the three probe tips 222 collectively. However, the probe target positions P3 of the three probe tips 222 may be shown individually, as shown in
As shown in
d) Obtain, with the controller 24 and based on the aforementioned one of the skate distance value and the overdrive value provided in the step b) and the SD-OD relation dataset defined in the step a), the other of the skate distance value and the overdrive value. In other words, as long as the user provides the skate distance value to the controller 24, the controller 24 can obtain the overdrive value through the SD-OD relation dataset. Alternatively, as long as the user provides the overdrive value to the controller 24, the controller 24 can obtain the skate distance value through the SD-OD relation dataset.
This step further obtains, with the controller 24 and based on the skate distance value and the probe target positions P3 provided in the step c), probe contact positions P5 as shown in
In other words, when this step finishes, the controller 24 has obtained the primary probing parameters required for the probe system 20 to test the DUT 31, which are the skate distance value, the overdrive value, the probe target position P3 and the probe contact position P5, as the step S5 shown in
e) As the step S6 shown in
f) As the step S71 shown in
According to different operating manners, the virtual alignment mark 43 is optionally shown. In the manual operation, the virtual alignment mark 43 is shown on the display 25 for the user to align the probe tips 222 with the virtual alignment mark 43, as the step S81 shown in
In this embodiment, the probe contact positions P5 of the three probe tips 222 are shown by the same virtual alignment mark 43. However, the probe contact positions P5 of the three probe tips 222 may be shown by three virtual alignment marks 43 respectively, as shown in
After the user positions the probe tips 222 at the probe contact positions P5 by using the virtual alignment mark 43, or after the probe tips 222 are automatically positioned at the probe contact positions P5 by the controller 24, an overdrive ON process can be performed with the controller 24, as the step S91 or S92 shown in
Referring to
Referring to
Based on the SD-OD relation dataset defined in the step S2 and the skate distance value or overdrive value provided in the step S3, the controller 24 can obtain both the skate distance value and the overdrive value, and then obtain a relative target position P6 by the calculation based on the skate distance value and the present probe position P4. The relative distance between the relative target position P6 and the present probe position P4 equals to the skate distance value, which means the relation between the relative target position P6 and the present probe position P4 is identical to the relation between the probe target position P3 and the probe contact position P5 described in the first preferred embodiment. Therefore, although the probe contact positions P5 are not obtained in this embodiment, as long as the relative target positions P6 are moved simultaneously with the probing assembly 22 relative to the DUT 31 and the relative target positions P6 are relatively moved to the positions, at which the probe tips 222 of the probing assembly 22 are predetermined to be stopped after skating on the contact pads 311 of the DUT 31, such as the equivalence of the probe target positions P3 described in the first preferred embodiment, the probe tips 222 will be relatively moved to the positions equivalent to the probe contact positions P5 described in the first preferred embodiment simultaneously, such that the probing assembly 22 and the DUT 31 can be positioned to each other.
In other words, in the step S5 in this embodiment, the controller 24 has obtained the primary probing parameters required for the probe system 20 to test the DUT 31, which are the skate distance value, the overdrive value, the present probe position P4, and the relative target position P6.
After that, as the step S6′ shown in
Further speaking, there are two ways of moving the relative target position P6 relative to the DUT 31. The first way is that the user operates the operating lever of the machine to control the probing assembly 22 to move. The relative target position P6 is moved simultaneously with the probing assembly 22. Meanwhile, the virtual alignment mark 43 is also moved on the display 25 simultaneously. The user can watch the moving condition of the virtual alignment mark 43 on the display 25 to control the movement of the probing assembly 22, so as to move the relative target position P6 (virtual alignment mark 43) to the desired position. The second way is that the user uses the mouse or the touch control function of the touch panel to drag the virtual alignment mark 43 on the display 25 to the desired position. Meanwhile, the probing assembly 22 can be moved simultaneously to make the relative target position P6 moved simultaneously with the virtual alignment mark 43. Alternatively, the probing assembly 22 can be moved after the user decides the position to stop the virtual alignment mark 43. The above two ways are both operated by the user, both belonging to the manual operation described in the present invention. It can be seen that the manual operation and the automatic operation described in the present invention are both performed with the controller 24.
During the above-described movement, even though only the image of the contact pads 311 of the DUT 31 is clear but the image of the probe tips 222 is blurred and unclear, the user can still align the virtual alignment mark 43 with the aforementioned position corresponding to the contact pads 311 of the DUT 31, i.e. the position the user predetermines the probe tips 222 of the probing assembly 22 to be stopped after skating on the contact pads 311 of the DUT 31, such as the probe target position P3 described in the first preferred embodiment, so as to locate the probe tips 222 at proper positions on the contact pads 311 of the DUT 31, such as the aforementioned probe contact position P5.
After the user positions the virtual alignment mark 43 at the position the probe tips 222 of the probing assembly 22 are predetermined to be stopped after skating on the contact pads 311 of the DUT 31, such as the probe target position P3 described in the first preferred embodiment, the overdrive ON process can be performed with the controller 24, as the step S8 shown in
It can be known from the above two embodiments that since the SD-OD relation dataset is established in the present invention, for performing the test, as long as the user provides the skate distance value or overdrive value and the probe target position P3 or present probe position P4, the parameters required for testing the DUT 31 with the probing assembly 22 can be obtained. It is unnecessary to perform, before every time of testing, the time-consuming initial setting steps, such as using the calibration substrate to find out the proper overdrive, performing many times of calibration measurement for the overdrive to obtain the initial contact position, and so on. Besides, the method of the present invention can provide accurate parameters to make sure that the probe tip 222 of the probe 221 will be stopped at the desired position after skating on the contact pad 311 of the DUT 31. Therefore, the method provided by the present invention not only saves time and offers convenience, but also enhances the testing accuracy by enabling the probing assembly to deliver consistent and excellent performance, thereby reducing wear on the probe and calibration substrate and extending their lifespan. The controller 24 may include and/or be any suitable structure, device, and/or devices that may be adapted, configured, designed, constructed, and/or programmed to perform the functions discussed herein. As examples, the controller 24 may include one or more of an electronic controller, a dedicated controller, a special-purpose controller, a personal computer, a special-purpose computer, a display device, a logic device, a memory device, and/or a memory device having computer-readable storage media.
The computer-readable storage media, when present, also may be referred to herein as non-transitory computer readable storage media. This non-transitory computer readable storage media may include, define, house, and/or store computer-executable instructions, programs, and/or code; and these computer-executable instructions may direct the probe system 20 and/or the controller 24 thereof to perform any suitable portion, or subset, of methods. Examples of such non-transitory computer-readable storage media include CD-ROMs, disks, hard drives, flash memory, etc. As used herein, storage, or memory, devices and/or media having computer-executable instructions, as well as computer-implemented methods and other methods according to the present disclosure, are considered to be within the scope of subject matter deemed patentable in accordance with Section 101 of Title 35 of the United States Code.
Therefore, the present invention also provides a non-transitory computer-readable storage media, which includes computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the probe system 20 to perform the aforementioned method of determining the probing parameters for the probe system to test the DUT to obtain the accurate probing parameters conveniently and quickly, enabling the probing assembly 22 to provide great and consistent testing performance, thereby achieving high testing accuracy.
It can be known from the above two embodiments that the present invention also provides a method of generating a virtual mark image representing a portion of the probe system 20, and the method includes the step of obtaining, with the optical image-forming device 23, a present probe system image of at least a part of the probe system 20, such as the image shown in
In the first preferred embodiment, the virtual mark image includes the representation of the probe contact position, i.e. the virtual alignment mark 43 showing the probe contact position P5 as shown in
Further speaking, in the first preferred embodiment, since the probe target position P3 has to be provided, the probe tip 222 is more blurred than the DUT 31 in the aforementioned present probe system image. However, through the clear image of the DUT 31, the probe target position P3 can be defined and the probe contact position P5 can be calculated accordingly, allowing the virtual mark image to include the virtual alignment mark 43 showing the probe contact position P5. In this way, the user can perform the manual alignment to align the probe tip 222 with the virtual alignment mark 43, so as to position the probe tip 222 at the probe contact position P5 accurately. In the automatically positioning condition, the virtual alignment mark 43 can be also provided for the user to know the present situation. In another aspect, in the second preferred embodiment, since the present probe position P4 has to be provided, the probe tip 222 is clearer than the DUT 31 in the aforementioned present probe system image. Through the clear image of the probe tip 222, the present probe position P4 can be defined and the relative target position P6 can be calculated accordingly, allowing the virtual mark image to include the virtual alignment mark 43 showing the relative target position P6. In this way, the user can perform the manual alignment to relatively move the relative target position P6 to the probe stopped position decided by the user, so as to position the probe tip 222 at the proper probe contact position.
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63530768 | Aug 2023 | US |
