The present invention is directed to probe stations for making highly accurate measurements of high-speed, large scale integrated circuits at the wafer level, and of other electronic devices. More particularly, the invention relates to such a probe station having an environment control enclosure for limiting the communication of the wafer-supporting chuck and probes with outside influences such as electromagnetic interference (EMI), air, and/or light.
The probe station is equipped with an integrated environment control enclosure substantially surrounding a supporting surface for holding a test device, such enclosure limiting fluid communication between the interior and exterior of the enclosure and preferably also providing EMI shielding and a dark environment. The limited communication between the interior and exterior of the enclosure is kept substantially constant despite positioning movement of either the supporting surface or probes. The positioning mechanisms for the supporting surface and probes are each located at least partially outside of the enclosure so that mechanical movement of each of the positioning mechanisms outside of the enclosure causes proportional mechanical movement of the surface or probe.
According to another aspect of the invention, the environment control enclosure has an upper portion extending above the supporting surface and a side portion substantially surrounding the supporting surface, the supporting surface being movable laterally with respect to the top of the side portion.
According to another aspect of the invention, the environment control enclosure has an opening with a closable door for substituting different test devices on the supporting surface in a manner compatible with the positioning and environment control functions.
The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
With reference to
Mounted atop the platen 12 are multiple individual probe positioners such as 24 (only one of which is shown), each having an extending member 26 to which is mounted a probe holder 28 which in turn supports a respective probe 30 for contacting wafers and other test devices mounted atop the chuck assembly 20. The probe positioner 24 has micrometer adjustments 34, 36 and 38 for adjusting the position of the probe holder 28, and thus the probe 30, along the X, Y and Z axes respectively, relative to the chuck assembly 20. The Z axis is exemplary of what is referred to herein loosely as the “axis of approach” between the probe holder 28 and the chuck assembly 20, although directions of approach which are neither vertical nor linear, along which the probe tip and wafer or other test device are brought into contact with each other, are also intended to be included within the meaning of the term “axis of approach.” A further micrometer adjustment 40 adjustably tilts the probe holder 28 to adjust planarity of the probe with respect to the wafer or other test device supported by the chuck assembly 20. As many as twelve individual probe positioners 24, each supporting a respective probe, may be arranged on the platen 12 around the chuck assembly 20 so as to converge radially toward the chuck assembly similarly to the spokes of a wheel. With such an arrangement, each individual positioner 24 can independently adjust its respective probe in the X, Y and Z directions, while the jacks 14 can be actuated to raise or lower the platen 12 and thus all of the positioners 24 and their respective probes in unison.
An environment control enclosure is composed of an upper box portion 42 rigidly attached to the platen 12, and a lower box portion 44 rigidly attached to the base 10. Both portions are made of steel or other suitable electrically conductive material to provide EMI shielding. To accommodate the small vertical movement between the two box portions 42 and 44 when the jacks 14 are actuated to raise or lower the platen 12, an electrically conductive resilient foam gasket 46, preferably composed of silver or carbon-impregnated silicone, is interposed peripherally at their mating juncture at the front of the enclosure and between the lower portion 44 and the platen 12 so that an EMI, substantially hermetic, and light seal are all maintained despite relative vertical movement between the two box portions 42 and 44. Even though the upper box portion 42 is rigidly attached to the platen 12, a similar gasket 47 is preferably interposed between the portion 42 and the top of the platen to maximize sealing.
With reference to
Atop the octagonal box 48, a circular viewing aperture 58 is provided, having a recessed circular transparent sealing window 60 therein. A bracket 62 holds an apertured sliding shutter 64 to selectively permit or prevent the passage of light through the window. A stereoscope (not shown) connected to a CRT monitor can be placed above the window to provide a magnified display of the wafer or other test device and the probe tip for proper probe placement during set-up or operation. Alternatively, the window 60 can be removed and a microscope lens (not shown) surrounded by a foam gasket can be inserted through the viewing aperture 58 with the foam providing EMI, hermetic and light sealing.
The upper box portion 42 of the environment control enclosure also includes a hinged steel door 68 which pivots outwardly about the pivot axis of a hinge 70 as shown in
With reference to
With particular reference to
In addition to the circular elements 80 and 81, auxiliary chucks such as 92 and 94 are detachably mounted on the corners of the element 83 by screws (not shown) independently of the elements 80 and 81 for the purpose of supporting contact substrates and calibration substrates while a wafer or other test device is simultaneously supported by the element 80. Each auxiliary chuck 92, 94 has its own separate upwardly-facing planar surface 100, 102 respectively, in parallel relationship to the surface 82 of the element 80. Vacuum apertures 104 protrude through the surfaces 100 and 102 from communication with respective chambers within the body of each auxiliary chuck. Each of these chambers in turn communicates through a separate vacuum line and a separate independently-actuated vacuum valve (not shown) with a source of vacuum, each such valve selectively connecting or isolating the respective sets of apertures 104 with respect to the source of vacuum independently of the operation of the apertures 84 of the element 80, so as to selectively hold or release a contact substrate or calibration substrate located on the respective surfaces 100 and 102 independently of the wafer or other test device. An optional metal shield 106 may protrude upwardly from the edges of the element 83 to surround the other elements 80, 81 and the auxiliary chucks 92, 94.
All of the chuck assembly elements 80, 81 and 83, as well as the additional chuck assembly element 79, are electrically insulated from one another even though they are constructed of electrically conductive metal and interconnected detachably by metallic screws such as 96. With reference to
With reference to
Either coaxial or, as shown, triaxial cables 118 and 120 form portions of the respective detachable electrical connector assemblies 108 and 110, as do their respective triaxial detachable connectors 122 and 124 which penetrate a wall of the lower portion 44 of the environment control enclosure so that the outer shields of the triaxial connectors 122, 124 are electrically connected to the enclosure. Further triaxial cables 122a, 124a are detachably connectable to the connectors 122 and 124 from suitable test equipment such as a Hewlett-Packard 4142B modular DC source/monitor or a Hewlett-Packard 4284A precision LCR meter, depending upon the test application. If the cables 118 and 120 are merely coaxial cables or other types of cables having only two conductors, one conductor interconnects the inner (signal) connector element of a respective connector 122 or 124 with a respective connector element 108a or 110a, while the other conductor connects the intermediate (guard) connector element of a respective connector 122 or 124 with a respective connector element 108b, 110b.
In any case, the detachable connector assemblies 108, 110, due to their interconnections with the two connector plates 114, 116, provide immediately ready-to-use signal and guard connections to the chuck assembly elements 80 and 81, respectively, as well as ready-to-use guarded Kelvin connections thereto. For applications requiring only guarding of the chuck assembly, as for example the measurement of low-current leakage from a test device through the element 80, it is necessary only that the operator connect a single guarded cable 122a from a test instrument such as a Hewlett-Packard 4142B modular DC source/monitor to the detachable connector 122 so that a signal line is provided to the chuck assembly element 80 through the connector element 108a and connector plate 114, and a guard line is provided to the element 81 through the connector element 108b and connector plate 116. Alternatively, if a Kelvin connection to the chuck assembly is desired for low-voltage measurements, such as those needed for measurements of low capacitance, the operator need merely attach a pair of cables 122a and 124a to the respective connectors 122, 124 from a suitable test instrument such as a Hewlett-Packard 4284A precision LCR meter, thereby providing both source and measurement lines to the element 80 through the connector elements 108a and 110a and connector plate 114, and guarding lines to the element 81 through the connector elements 108b and 110b and connector plate 116.
With reference to
The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/441,646, filed May 19, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,801,047, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/268,244, filed Oct. 9, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,636,059, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/068,728, filed Feb. 6, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,486,687, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/886,353, filed Jun. 20, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,380,751, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/790,969, filed Jan. 29, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,313,649, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/641,029, filed Apr. 29, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,444, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/417,982, filed Apr. 6, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,532,609, which is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/245,581, filed May 18, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,512, which is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/896,853 filed Jun. 11, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,170.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3185927 | Margulis et al. | May 1965 | A |
3333274 | Forcier | Jul 1967 | A |
3405361 | Kattner et al. | Oct 1968 | A |
3408565 | Frick et al. | Oct 1968 | A |
3710251 | Hagge et al. | Jan 1973 | A |
4042119 | Hassan et al. | Aug 1977 | A |
4115736 | Tracy | Sep 1978 | A |
4172993 | Leach | Oct 1979 | A |
4383178 | Shibata et al. | May 1983 | A |
4694245 | Frommes | Sep 1987 | A |
4755746 | Mallory et al. | Jul 1988 | A |
4757255 | Margozzi | Jul 1988 | A |
4758785 | Rath | Jul 1988 | A |
4771234 | Cook et al. | Sep 1988 | A |
4845426 | Nolan et al. | Jul 1989 | A |
4856904 | Akagawa | Aug 1989 | A |
4926118 | O'Connor et al. | May 1990 | A |
5077523 | Blanz | Dec 1991 | A |
5084671 | Miyata et al. | Jan 1992 | A |
5097207 | Blanz | Mar 1992 | A |
5220277 | Reitinger | Jun 1993 | A |
5266889 | Harwood et al. | Nov 1993 | A |
5309088 | Chen | May 1994 | A |
5345170 | Schwindt et al. | Sep 1994 | A |
5532609 | Harwood et al. | Jul 1996 | A |
5604444 | Harwood et al. | Feb 1997 | A |
6124723 | Costello | Sep 2000 | A |
6313649 | Harwood et al. | Nov 2001 | B1 |
6380751 | Harwood et al. | Apr 2002 | B1 |
6486687 | Harwood et al. | Nov 2002 | B1 |
6636059 | Harwood et al. | Oct 2003 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
3114466 | Mar 1982 | DE |
201205 | Dec 1986 | EP |
02-022837 | Jan 1990 | JP |
2-220453 | Sep 1990 | JP |
04-000732 | Jan 1992 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20050017741 A1 | Jan 2005 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 08245581 | May 1994 | US |
Child | 08417982 | US | |
Parent | 07896853 | Jun 1992 | US |
Child | 08245581 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 10441646 | May 2003 | US |
Child | 10925526 | US | |
Parent | 10268244 | Oct 2002 | US |
Child | 10441646 | US | |
Parent | 10068728 | Feb 2002 | US |
Child | 10268244 | US | |
Parent | 09886353 | Jun 2001 | US |
Child | 10068728 | US | |
Parent | 08790969 | Jan 1997 | US |
Child | 09886353 | US | |
Parent | 08641029 | Apr 1996 | US |
Child | 08790969 | US | |
Parent | 08417982 | Apr 1995 | US |
Child | 08641029 | US |