The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 08, 2009
Filed:
Jul. 16, 2008
Shigekazu Komatsu, Yamanashi, JP;
Dai Shinozaki, Tokyo, JP;
Katsuaki Sakamoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
By allowing an electrical conduction between a probe and an electrode by a fritting phenomenon before inspection, simplification of circuit configuration and shortening of inspection time is achieved. A fritting circuit is formed in a probe card of an inspection apparatus for each probe pair consisting of two probes. A capacitor is connected to each fritting circuit. Each fritting circuit is connected in parallel to a power supply circuit having a charging power supply. Each capacitor is charged at one time by the power supply circuit. The probe pair is brought into contact with an electrode of a wafer, and a high-voltage is applied to the probe pair by a power charged in the capacitor, thereby achieving an electrical connection between each probe and the electrode by a fritting phenomenon. Then, an inspection of electrical characteristics is performed by using an electric inspection signal transmitted to each probe.