Patent Application
20090126979
This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2007-0119300, filed on Nov. 21, 2007, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor package circuit board having an indicator for specifying a location of a defective circuit board unit, a method of forming a semiconductor package circuit board, and an indicator for specifying a location of a defective circuit board unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
A semiconductor package circuit board is an element of a semiconductor package. Typically, semiconductor chips are mounted on and supported by the semiconductor package circuit board. Electric signals processed in the semiconductor chips flow through the semiconductor package circuit board to external devices via various electric signal transferring members, such as balls, pins, and leads, attached to one or both surfaces of the semiconductor package circuit board.
Conventionally, a semiconductor package circuit board is divided into a plurality of semiconductor package circuit board units arranged in a matrix pattern in order to perform a batching process, specifically, in order to perform a semiconductor chip mounting or wiring process through a batching process.
A semiconductor package circuit board can be manufactured using various methods. For example, an epoxy resin layer or a resin layer is formed using a film or a tape. Then a metal film is coated on one or both surfaces of the epoxy resin layer or the resin layer. A conductive circuit pattern is formed in the metal film using a photo technique or an etching technique. A protective layer is coated on the conductive circuit pattern, thereby completing the manufacturing process of a semiconductor package circuit board.
The semiconductor package circuit board thus manufactured is inspected using a surface identification test or a function test to find any defective semiconductor package circuit board unit. If a defective semiconductor package circuit board unit is found, the location of the defective semiconductor package circuit board unit is marked with ink. Then an apparatus for performing a subsequent process recognizes the marked location and does not perform a corresponding process with respect to the defective semiconductor package circuit board unit.
However, the identification of the marked location is so difficult that operators often make a mistake.
The present invention provides a semiconductor package circuit board having an indicator for specifying a location of a defective circuit board unit, a method of forming a semiconductor package circuit board having an indicator, and an indicator for specifying a location of a defective circuit board unit, wherein the indicator has marking areas arranged in an m-by-n matrix pattern corresponding to an m-by-n matrix pattern of the circuit board units so that an operator may readily mark a location of a defective circuit board unit in the corresponding marking area.
The present invention also provides a semiconductor package circuit board having an indicator for specifying a location of a defective circuit board unit, a method of forming a semiconductor package circuit board having an indicator, and an indicator for specifying a location of a defective circuit board unit, wherein the indicator is formed on a dummy unit or a defective circuit board unit in the circuit board units arranged in a matrix pattern. Thus, the integration of the semiconductor package circuit board is more increased than in cases where the indicator is formed outside the matrix pattern of the circuit board units. Furthermore, the productivity can be substantially increased.
The present invention also provides a semiconductor package circuit board having an indicator for specifying a location of a defective circuit board unit, a method of forming a semiconductor package circuit board having an indicator, and an indicator for specifying a location of a defective circuit board unit, wherein defective marks are not dispersed and are put only within an m-by-n matrix pattern. Thus, a pathway of a sensor for detecting the indicator can be minimized. Interferences which might occur if the sensor moves can be prevented, and a travel time of the sensor is substantially zero.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor package circuit board for readily marking a location of a defective circuit board unit. The semiconductor package circuit board includes a plurality of circuit board units arranged in an m-by-n matrix and an indicator having marking areas arranged in an m-by-n matrix so that a location of an identified defective circuit board unit is readily marked in the corresponding marking area of the indicator.
The size of the indicator may be substantially equal to or smaller than each circuit board unit. The indicator may be formed on a dummy unit fixed at a column a and a row b in the matrix pattern of the circuit board units or on one of identified defective circuit board units.
The marking areas are unmarked areas, which are to be marked with a defective mark. The unmarked areas may have a reflective surface to allow reflection of light. The reflective surface of the unmarked areas may be formed of the same metallic material as a metallic material of a metallic circuit layer on the circuit board units so that the reflective surface of the unmarked areas and the metallic circuit layer of the circuit board units are formed at the same time.
In addition, an area of the indicator other than the unmarked areas may be formed by a dark opaque coating layer.
The indicator may have marking areas on one surface and a glue layer on the other surface.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided is a method of forming a semiconductor package circuit board having an indicator for specifying a location of a defective circuit board unit. The method includes arranging a plurality of circuit board units in an m-by-n matrix pattern and forming an indicator including marking areas arranged in an m-by-n matrix pattern in correspondence to the m-by-n matrix pattern of the circuit board units.
The indicator and the circuit board units may be formed at the same time. Alternatively, the indicator may be attached to a defective unit in the circuit board units.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an indicator for specifying a location of a defective circuit board unit. The indicator includes marking areas arranged in an m-by-n matrix pattern corresponding to a plurality of circuit board units arranged in an m-by-n matrix pattern.
The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:
A semiconductor package circuit board having an indicator for specifying a location of a defective circuit board unit, a method of forming a semiconductor package circuit board having an indicator, and an indicator for specifying a location of a defective circuit board unit will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Because the sensor is fixed in the mounting and wiring apparatus, interferences which might occur if the sensor moves can be prevented, and a travel time of the sensor is substantially reduced as compared to conventional cases.
Meanwhile, each of the indicators 30, as illustrated in
Referring to
In practice, to prevent operators' confusion, these numbers can be marked in the circuit board units 10 or in the marking areas 31 of the indicator 30. In some cases, various signals may be used to specify the circuit board units 10 or the marking areas 31 of the indicator 30.
However, even when those numbers or signals are not used, operators can readily specify the locations of defective circuit board units because the locations of the circuit board units 10 respectively correspond to the locations of the marking areas 31 in the indicator 30. For example, an operator memorizes the location of a defective circuit board unit at the second column and the second row and then readily marks one of the marking areas 31 in the indicator 30 which corresponds to the location of the defective circuit board unit.
Meanwhile, the size of the indicator 30, as illustrated in
Alternatively, the size of the indicator 30 may be greater than the size of each circuit board unit 10. In such a case, the indicator 30 may be disposed on a bottom surface of the semiconductor package circuit board or on a separate carrier frame (not shown) used to deliver the semiconductor package circuit board. However, the number of circuit board units 10 which can be processed at the same time in a work area S of a predetermined apparatus is reduced, so that the productivity may be degraded.
When the indicator 30 is formed on the dummy unit 11 at the column a and the row b, as illustrated in
Meanwhile, as illustrated in
The unmarked areas 34 each have a reflective surface that reflects light. The reflective surface may be formed of the same metallic material as a metallic material forming a metallic circuit layer of the circuit board units 10. In such a case, the unmarked areas 34 and the metallic circuit layer of the circuit board units 10 can be formed at the same time. For example, the unmarked areas 34 may be formed of Al, Au, Ag, Cu, Ni, or an alloy thereof.
By simultaneously forming the metallic circuit layer of the circuit board units 10 and the unmarked areas 34, the manufacturing costs can be substantially reduced.
In some cases, the unmarked areas 34 may have, for example, a white, yellow, or fluorescent surface.
Furthermore, the indicator 30 may include a dark opaque coating layer 40 formed on a portion of the indicator 30 other than the unmarked areas 34.
The dark opaque coating layer 40 of the indicator 30 may be formed of the same material as a material forming a surface protective coating layer of the semiconductor package circuit board. In such a case, the dark opaque coating layer 40 and the surface protecting coating layer of the circuit board units 10 can be formed at the same time. Therefore, the manufacturing costs can be substantially reduced.
When a defective circuit board unit 20 is located at a column x and a row y in the matrix pattern of the circuit board units 10, an unmarked marking area 34 located at a column x and a row y in the matrix pattern of the indicator 30 is marked in correspondence to the location of the defective circuit board unit 20. For example, as illustrated in
The defective marks 33 shown in
Meanwhile, as illustrated in
Specifically, each of the marking areas 310 in the indicator 100 may be formed by a bright portion 350. An area of the indicator 100 other than the bright portion 350 may be formed by a dark portion 360. Thus, a sensor for detecting the indicator 100 may recognize dark ink marked on the bright portion 350.
Alternatively, although not illustrated in the drawings, each of the marking areas 310 may be formed by a dark portion, and an area of the indicator 100 other than the marking areas 310 may be formed by a bright portion. In this case, a sensor for detecting the indicator 100 may recognize bright ink marked on the dark portion.
Furthermore, the indicator 100 for specifying a location of a defective circuit board unit may have the marking areas 310 printed on one surface of the indicator 100 and a glue layer 500 formed on the opposed surface. With this configuration, when an operator finds a defective circuit board unit 20 with the indicator 100 in his/her hands, he/she may mark a marking area 310 of the indicator 100 corresponding to the location of the found defective circuit board unit 20 with a marker. Then the indicator 100 may be attached to the defective circuit board unit 20. A method of forming a semiconductor package circuit board with an indicator for specifying a location of a defective circuit board unit according to the present invention includes forming a plurality of circuit board units 10 arranged in an m-by-n matrix pattern and forming an indicator 30 on the circuit board unit 10. The indicator 30 has a plurality of marking areas 31 arranged in an m-by-n matrix pattern corresponding to the m-by-n matrix pattern of the circuit board units 10.
In this regard, the indicator 30 and the circuit board units 10 can be formed at the same time. Alternatively, the circuit board units 10 may be manufactured separately, and the indicator 30 may be attached to one of identified defective circuit board units 20 in the circuit board units 10.
Meanwhile, the indicator 30 may also be formed on other locations, that is, on a separate carrier frame (not shown) used to carry the semiconductor package circuit board.
As described above, according to the embodiments of the present invention, an operator can readily put a defective mark on an indicator without any confusion, and the operator or a sensor can readily recognize the defective mark on the indicator. In addition, since the indicator can be positioned on the semiconductor package circuit board, the integration of the semiconductor package circuit board can be increased, and the productivity can be substantially improved. Furthermore, a pathway of the sensor can be reduced, and interferences that might occur if the sensor moves can be hindered. Thus, a travel time of the sensor is substantially reduced as compared to conventional cases.
While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-0119300 | Nov 2007 | KR | national |
