Tokyo Electron Limited

Tokyo Electron Limi Ted

Jun Fujihara

Kentaro Konishi

Hiroshi Yamada

Takanori Hyakudomi

Masanori Ueda

Hiroaki Sakamoto

Tomoya Endo

Xingjun Jiang

Hiroki Shikagawa

Jun Mochizuki

Hiroaki Hayashi

Kenichi Narikawa

Tetsuya Kagami

Shin Uchida

Katsuaki Sugiyama

Yuto Fujita

Yukinori Murata

Rika Ozawa

A trolley includes a trolley body which in turn includes a wheel that is freely movable on a floor, and a first support that supports a component of a substrate processing apparatus that slides in a lateral direction and is pulled out to an outside of the substrate processing apparatus. The trolley also includes a second support that is connected to the trolley body so as to be freely movable between a first position where a width of the trolley in the lateral direction is a first length and a second position where the width in the lateral direction is a second length longer than the first length, and configured to support the component at the second position together with the first support.

Trolley and method for supporting component of substrate processing apparatus

An inspection apparatus includes: inspection chamber rows in each of which inspection chambers are arranged, the inspection chamber rows arranged in multiple stages and each of the inspection chambers being configured to accommodate therein a tester configured to inspect an inspection object on a chuck top; a refrigerant supplier configured to supply a refrigerant gas; and a controller. The refrigerant supplier includes: a refrigerant gas pipe connecting the chuck tops in each inspection chamber row to allow the refrigerant gas to pass therethrough; and a first heat exchanger disposed in the refrigerant gas pipe between the chuck tops to exchange heat with the refrigerant gas discharged from the chuck tops. Each of the chuck tops includes a heater configured to heat the inspection object and a temperature sensor. The controller is configured to control the heater based on a temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

Inspection apparatus and inspection method

There is provided an insertion/extraction mechanism for having one or multiple block members being inserted into or extracted from a frame member forming an intermediate connection member that is disposed between a first member having multiple first members and a second member having multiple second terminals and electrically connects the first terminals and the second terminals, the block member having multiple connection terminals for electrically connecting the first terminals and the second terminals. The insertion/extraction mechanism comprises a first engaging unit and a second engaging unit that are engaged with a first engaged portion and a second engaged portion of the block member, respectively, thereby holding the block member.

Insertion/extraction mechanism and method for replacing block member

A method for releasing contact between probes and a substrate is provided. In a state where the probes are pressed against the substrate to be in contact with the substrate, a pressure is reduced in an inspection space that is surrounded by a substrate support having thereon the substrate, a tubular member attracting and holding the substrate support through a seal member, and a frame to which a probe card is fixed. The method includes raising an alignment mechanism to a predetermined position to be close to the substrate support, subsequently stopping the pressure reduction of the inspection space and supporting the substrate support by the alignment mechanism located at the predetermined position while preventing release of the contact, subsequently lowering the alignment mechanism supporting the substrate support to release the contact, and subsequently stopping the attracting and holding of the substrate support by the tubular member.

Contact release method in inspection apparatus and inspection apparatus

A testing system includes: an inspection module including a plurality of levels of inspection chambers in each of which a tester part having a tester configured to perform an electrical inspection of an inspection object and a probe card is accommodated; an aligner module configured to align the inspection object with the tester part; an alignment area in which the aligner module is accommodated; and a loader part configured to load the inspection object into the alignment area and unload the inspection object out of the aligner module, wherein the inspection module is located adjacent to the alignment area.

Testing system

A testing apparatus includes multiple testing units arrayed in a first axial direction in plan view, the multiple testing units being configured to respectively press probes against electronic devices on chucks to test the electronic devices, multiple gas circulating units respectively disposed in areas each corresponding to one or more testing units among the multiple testing units, the multiple gas circulating units respectively including first fans configured to circulate a gas in the areas along a second axial direction in plan view, multiple temperature detecting units configured to respectively detect temperatures of the chucks, and a controller configured to control drive of the first fans of the multiple gas circulating units based on the detected temperatures of the chucks.

Testing apparatus

There is provided a chuck top for use in an inspection apparatus which inspects a plurality of inspection target devices formed on a wafer. The chuck top is configured to be held by a frame during an inspection of the plurality of inspection target devices while holding the wafer, the chuck top being configured to be attachable to and detachable from an aligner. The chuck top includes a main body, and a drop prevention mechanism provided in the main body and including a movable drop prevention hook configured to prevent the chuck top from being dropped when the chuck top is detached from the frame.

Chuck top, inspection apparatus, and chuck top recovery method

An inspection system configured to inspect a device within a substrate is provided. The inspection system includes an inspection module, an alignment module, a supporting device and a fixing device. The inspection module has multiple testers and multiple inspection chambers. The multiple testers are allowed to be accommodated in the multiple inspection chambers, respectively. The alignment module has an aligner. The aligner is placed in an alignment space. The aligner is configured to adjust a position of the substrate to be inspected with respect to one tester of the multiple testers, which is accommodated in the alignment space. The supporting device is configured to support the tester accommodated in the alignment space from below. The fixing device is configured to fix the tester accommodated in the alignment space in cooperation with the supporting device.

Inspection system

An inspection device for inspecting an inspection target substrate includes a probe card, a tester, a plurality of conductive lines, and a resistor. The probe card has probes to be in contact with the inspection target substrate. The tester is configured to transmit and receive electric signals for an inspection to and from the inspection target substrate through the probes. The conductive lines electrically connect the probe card with the tester, and at least a part of the conductive lines is electrically connected to the probes. The resistor is formed at the probe card and serves as an electrical resistor. The tester is further configured to measure a resistance of the resistor based on the electric signals transmitted and received through the conductive lines.

Inspection device and method of controlling temperature of probe card

An inspection apparatus configured to inspect a target object includes a placing device configured to place the target object thereon; a heater provided in the placing device and configured to adjust a temperature of the placing device; and a position adjusting mechanism configured to hold the placing device on which the target object is placed, and configured to perform a position adjustment between the target object placed on the placing device and a terminal to be brought into contact with the target object when an inspection of an electrical characteristic is performed. The placing device is configured to be separated from the position adjusting mechanism when the inspection of the electrical characteristic is performed. A heat sink having prominences and depressions is provided at a portion of the placing device except a holding target portion thereof which is to be held by the position adjusting mechanism.

Inspection apparatus and inspection method for inspecting electrical characteristic of electronic device

There is provided a prober including inspection rooms. Each of the inspection rooms includes: a probe card having probes; a chuck top configured to mount a wafer; and a temperature adjuster configured to adjust a temperature of the chuck top. At least one of the probe card and the chuck top includes a gap adjustment member configured to maintain a constant gap between the probe card and the chuck top. The probe card is preheated by heat of the chuck top whose temperature is adjusted by the temperature adjuster, in a state in which the wafer is not mounted on the chuck top and in a state in which the probe card and the chuck top are connected with each other via the gap adjustment member.

Prober and method of preheating probe card

There is provided a prober provided with a plurality of inspection chambers. Each inspection chambers includes: a probe card having a plurality of probes; a probe card holder configured to hold the probe card; a chuck top configured to place a cleaning wafer thereon; an aligner configured to drive the chuck top in a vertical direction when the probe card is cleaned using the cleaning wafer; a seal mechanism configured to allow a sealed space to be provided between the probe card holder and the chuck top; a pressure sensor configured to detect an internal pressure of the sealed space, which fluctuates with an operation of the chuck top driven by the aligner; and an electro-pneumatic regulator configured to control the internal pressure of the sealed space by performing an intake or exhaust operation with respect to the sealed space based on the internal pressure detected by the pressure sensor.

Prober and probe card cleaning method

A prober includes a plurality of inspection chambers, each of the plurality of inspection chambers including: a probe card having a plurality of probes; a probe card holder configured to hold the probe card; a chuck top configured to place a wafer on the chuck top; a seal mechanism configured to form a sealed space between the probe card holder and the chuck top; a temperature adjustor configured to adjust a temperature of the chuck top; and a gas supplier configured to supply a dry gas to the sealed space, and wherein, in a state in which no wafer is placed on the chuck top, the sealed space is purged with the dry gas, and precooling of the probe card is performed by cold heat of the chuck top having a temperature adjusted by the temperature adjustor.

Prober and probe card precooling method

The present disclosure is provided with a probe card and a transfer stage for transferring an inspection target toward the probe card. The transfer stage is provided with a chuck top on which the inspection target is mounted, an aligner configured to be contacted to or separated from the chuck top, and an aligning mechanism for aligning the chuck top with the aligner. The aligning mechanism has radially-expandable positioning pins at a plurality of positions on the upper surface of the aligner, and pin insertion members at positions on the lower surface of the chuck top corresponding to the positioning pins, the pin insertion members having pin insertion holes of which diameters are larger than those of the positioning pins that are not radially expanded. The chuck top is aligned with the aligner by inserting the positioning pins into the pin insertion holes and radially expanding the positioning pins.

Inspection apparatus, inspection system, and aligning method

An inspection device includes a chuck top that holds a wafer, a probe card disposed to face the wafer held by the chuck top and having a plurality of contact probes on a surface facing the wafer, a pogo frame that holds the probe card, a bellows that surrounds the probe card and the contact probes and forms a sealed space when the wafer is close to or in contact with the contact probes, a gas exhaust path configured to depressurize the pressure in the sealed space, and a mechanical stopper that is provided between the pogo frame and the chuck top and restricts the vertical inclination of the chuck top when a predetermined contact is made between the wafer and the contact probes.

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Nirasaki, Japan

Jun Fujihara