Tokyo Electron Limited

Seiwa Optical Co., Ltd.

Kazuhiko Koshimizu

Shinji Akaike

Kenta Saiki

Muneaki Tamura

Kiyoshi Tsuda

Isao Okazaki

Mitsuya Kawatsuki

Toshihiko Tanaka

A probe apparatus includes a stage, a first and a second imaging device, a first and a second imaging optical unit, and a projection optical unit. The stage is movable in horizontal and vertical directions. The first imaging device picks up an image of a probe needle which is made to contact with an electrode of a device formed on a surface of the substrate. The first and second imaging optical units include optical systems for performing an image pickup by using the first and second imaging devices, respectively. The second imaging device picks up an image of the electrode held on the stage. The projection optical unit includes an optical system that projects an optical target mark, used in a position alignment of the first and the second imaging device, onto each of image forming units of the first and second imaging devices at the same time.

Probe apparatus and probe method

A contact position of a probe needle with respect to electrode padstoof a semiconductor device is inspected in advance when performing an inspection by a prober on the semiconductor device formed on a wafer W placed on a stage. A reticleon which shapestoindicating positions of the probe needles are formed is placed instead of the probe needles at a position where the probe needles are arranged. The semiconductor device formed on the wafer W is imaged by the imaging unitthrough the reticle. A positional relationship between the shapes formed on the reticleand the electrode padstois analyzed from the image. When necessary, a position of the stageis adjusted such that centers of the shapestoand centers of the electrode padtoare coincident.

Position accuracy inspecting method, position accuracy inspecting apparatus, and position inspecting unit

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Beaverton, OR, United States of America

Kazuhiko Koshimizu