TWI718594B - Wafer inspection machine and wafer inspection method - Google Patents

Abstract

A wafer inspection machine includes an alignment device, a displacement device and a detection device. The array device includes a wafer tray storage rack, the wafer tray storage rack includes a plurality of wafer trays, and each wafer tray includes a plurality of wafers; the displacement device is connected to the array device, and the displacement device can be manipulated to remove one of the wafer trays from the wafer tray storage rack One; the detection device is connected to the displacement device, the detection device includes a wafer extraction mechanism and a wafer scanning mechanism, when the displacement device moves the wafer tray close to the detection device, the wafer extraction mechanism extracts one of the wafers in the wafer tray; the wafer scanning mechanism can It is controlled to move to the top of the wafer tray or above the wafers picked up by the wafer picking mechanism, and scan the wafers in the wafer pan or the wafers picked up by the wafer picking mechanism. A wafer inspection method is also disclosed here.

Description

Wafer inspection machine and wafer inspection method

The invention relates to a wafer inspection machine; in particular, it refers to a machine capable of detecting the back and side of a wafer and its inspection method.

Generally speaking, whether the semiconductor chip has defects directly affects the yield and reliability of electronic products containing the semiconductor chip. Therefore, the semiconductor chip usually undergoes a rigorous wafer inspection process before leaving the factory to improve the overall yield of the semiconductor chip. .

In order to prevent the semiconductor wafer from falling from the wafer tray, the wafer tray generally has a plurality of grooves so as to stably contain the semiconductor wafers. However, when the semiconductor wafer is placed on the wafer tray, only the upper surface of the semiconductor wafer is exposed, and the lower surface and side surfaces are shielded by the wafer tray and not exposed.

Generally, when detecting defects of semiconductor wafers, it is difficult to be shielded due to the limitation of the semiconductor wafer being placed on the wafer tray. Therefore, traditionally, only the exposed upper surface of the semiconductor wafer can be inspected, and it cannot be inspected by the wafer tray. The lower surface and sides of the mask. When there is a defect on the upper surface of the semiconductor wafer, the above-mentioned traditional inspection method can usually be used to detect it smoothly; however, when there are defects on the lower surface and side surface of the semiconductor wafer that are shielded by the wafer tray, the above-mentioned traditional inspection method cannot be used for inspection. come out. As a result, semiconductor wafers that are qualified by traditional inspection methods may still have defects, resulting in potential problems of reduced yield or poor reliability in subsequent electronic products manufactured using the semiconductor wafers.

Therefore, general wafer inspection machines and wafer inspection methods still have obvious defects, and solutions are urgently needed.

In view of this, the object of the present invention is to provide a wafer inspection machine that can extract and turn the wafer so that the second surface and side surface of the wafer covered by the wafer tray are exposed and face the wafer scanning mechanism, so that the wafer can be The second surface and side surface of the device are directly inspected, thereby improving the yield of semiconductor wafers.

In order to achieve the above objective, a wafer inspection machine provided by the present invention includes an alignment device, a displacement device, and a detection device. The array device includes a wafer tray storage rack, the wafer tray storage rack includes a plurality of wafer trays, and each wafer tray includes a plurality of wafers. The displacement device is connected to the alignment device, and the displacement device can be manipulated to take out one of the wafer trays from the wafer tray storage rack. The detection device is connected to the displacement device, and the detection device includes a wafer extraction mechanism and a wafer scanning mechanism. When the displacement device moves the wafer tray close to the detection device, the wafer picking mechanism extracts one of the wafers in the wafer tray. The wafer scanning mechanism can be manipulated to move to the top of the wafer tray or above the wafers picked up by the wafer picking mechanism, and scan the wafers in the wafer pan or the wafers picked up by the wafer picking mechanism.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the displacement device includes a first sliding stage mechanism and a second sliding stage mechanism, the first sliding stage mechanism can be manipulated to take out one of the wafer trays from the wafer tray storage rack, Then transfer the wafer tray to the second sliding stage mechanism.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the second sliding stage mechanism of the inspection device and the displacement device is arranged in the inspection area of the wafer inspection machine, so that the wafer picking mechanism of the inspection device can be manipulated to pick up one of the wafers in the wafer tray Alternatively, the wafer scanning mechanism of the inspection device can be manipulated to move to the top of the wafer tray.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first sliding stage mechanism can be manipulated to move the wafer tray in a first direction, and the second sliding stage mechanism can be manipulated to move the wafer tray in a second direction. The direction is almost perpendicular to the second direction.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the second sliding stage mechanism includes a positioning and clamping unit, and the positioning and clamping unit is used to clamp the wafer tray.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the chip picking mechanism includes at least one suction head, which is used to suck the first surface of the wafer, and the chip is turned over by the chip picking mechanism, so that the chip is opposite to the second surface of the first surface And the four side surfaces are exposed outward.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, when the wafer scanning mechanism is manipulated to move above the wafer picking mechanism, and the second surface and four side surfaces of the wafer face the wafer scanning mechanism, the wafer scanning mechanism scans the second surface and four side surfaces of the wafer .

According to an embodiment of the present invention, when the wafer scanning mechanism is manipulated to move above the wafer tray, the first surface of each wafer in the wafer tray faces the wafer scanning mechanism, and the wafer scanning mechanism scans the first surface of each wafer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a wafer inspection method, which includes the following steps: Providing a first wafer tray, the first wafer tray includes a plurality of first wafers, and the first surface of each first wafer is exposed to the outside; Use the wafer extraction mechanism to extract one of the first wafers in the first wafer tray, and use the wafer extraction mechanism to flip the extracted first wafer so that the flipped first wafer is opposite to the second surface and the fourth surface of the first surface. The side surface is exposed outward; Moving the wafer scanning mechanism to above the first wafer that is turned over, and the wafer scanning mechanism scans the second surface and four side surfaces of the first wafer that is turned over; Return the flipped first wafer to the first wafer tray by using the wafer picking mechanism; and Move the wafer scanning mechanism to above the first wafer tray, and use the wafer scanning mechanism to scan the first surface of each first wafer in the first wafer tray.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned wafer inspection method further includes providing a second wafer tray. The second wafer tray includes a plurality of second wafers, and the first surface of each second wafer is exposed to the outside; when a wafer extraction mechanism is used After returning the flipped first wafer to the first wafer tray, the wafer extraction mechanism extracts one of the second wafers in the second wafer tray, and the extracted second wafer is flipped by the wafer extraction mechanism to make the flipped The second surface of the second wafer opposite to the first surface and the four side surfaces are exposed outward; the wafer scanning mechanism is moved to above the turned over second wafer, and the wafer scanning mechanism scans the second surface of the turned over second wafer and Four side surfaces; use the wafer picking mechanism to return the second wafer that has been turned over to the second wafer tray; move the wafer scanning mechanism to the top of the second wafer tray, and use the wafer scanning mechanism to scan the second wafer in the second wafer tray The first surface.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned wafer inspection method further includes providing a third wafer tray; when the first surface of each second wafer in the second wafer tray is scanned by the wafer scanning mechanism, the first wafer tray is replaced by the first wafer tray. Three wafer trays.

The effect of the present invention is that the second surface and side surface of the wafer originally shielded by the wafer tray are exposed by the wafer extraction mechanism to extract and turn the wafer from the wafer tray, so that the second surface and side surface of the wafer can be detected by the wafer scanning mechanism , Thereby improving the yield of semiconductor wafers.

Please refer to FIG. 1 to FIG. 2, which are a wafer inspection machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The wafer inspection machine 1 includes an alignment device 10, a displacement device 20 and an inspection device 30.

The array device 10 includes a wafer tray storage rack, the wafer tray storage rack includes a plurality of wafer trays 40, and each wafer tray 40 includes a plurality of wafers 401. In the embodiment of the present invention, the number of aligning devices 10 is three, but it is not limited to this, and the number of aligning devices 10 can be freely adjusted according to actual usage requirements.

The displacement device 20 is connected to the aligning device 10, and the displacement device 20 can be manipulated to take out one of the wafer trays 40 from the wafer tray storage rack. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the displacement device 20 includes a first sliding stage mechanism 20a and a second sliding stage mechanism 20b. The first sliding stage mechanism 20a can be manipulated to take out one of the wafer trays 40 from the wafer tray storage rack, and then transfer the wafer tray 40 to the second sliding stage mechanism 20b.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the first sliding stage mechanism 20a can be manipulated to move the wafer tray in the first direction D1, and the second sliding stage mechanism 20b can be manipulated to move the wafer tray in the second direction. D2 moves, and the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 are almost perpendicular.

Please refer to FIG. 6, the second sliding stage mechanism 20 b further includes a positioning and clamping unit 22. In the embodiment of the present invention, the two positioning and clamping units 22 are respectively located at the two ends of the wafer tray 40, which are used to clamp the wafer tray 40, so that the wafer tray 40 is fixed to the second sliding stage mechanism 20b, and the wafer tray is avoided 40 slides.

The detection device 30 is connected to the displacement device 20. In the embodiment of the present invention, the inspection device 30 includes a wafer extraction mechanism 30a and a wafer scanning mechanism 30b. When the displacement device moves the wafer tray 40 close to the inspection device 30, the wafer extraction mechanism 30a extracts one of the wafers 401 in the wafer tray 40. The wafer scanning mechanism 30b can be manipulated to move above the wafer tray 40 or above the wafer 401 extracted by the wafer extraction mechanism 30a, and scan the wafer 401 in the wafer tray 40 or the wafer 401 extracted by the wafer extraction mechanism 30a.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the second sliding stage mechanism 20b of the inspection device 30 and the displacement device 20 is arranged in the inspection area of the wafer inspection machine 1, so that the wafer extraction mechanism 20b of the inspection device 30 can be manipulated to extract wafers One of the wafers 401 in the tray 40 or the wafer scanning mechanism 30b of the inspection device 30 can be manipulated to move above the wafer tray 40.

Please refer to FIG. 3A to FIG. 3D and FIG. 4A to FIG. 4D to illustrate a wafer inspection method provided by an embodiment of the present invention. The wafer inspection method includes the following steps: A first wafer tray 40a is provided, the first wafer tray 40a includes a plurality of first wafers 40a1, and the first surface 41 of each first wafer 40a1 is exposed to the outside; Use the wafer extraction mechanism 30a to extract one of the first wafers 40a1 in the first wafer tray 40a, and use the wafer extraction mechanism 30a to invert the extracted first wafer 40a1 so that the inverted first wafer 40a1 is opposite to the first surface The second surface 42 and the four side surfaces 44 of 41 are exposed to the outside; Move the wafer scanning mechanism 30b above the first wafer 40a1 that is turned over, and the wafer scanning mechanism 30b scans the second surface 42 and the four side surfaces 44 of the first wafer 40a1 that is turned over; Return the flipped first wafer 40a1 to the first wafer tray 40a by using the wafer extraction mechanism 30a; and The wafer scanning mechanism 30b is moved to above the first wafer tray 40a, and the wafer scanning mechanism 30b is used to scan the first surface 41 of each first wafer 40a1 in the first wafer tray 40a.

3A and 5, when the wafer scanning mechanism 30b is manipulated to move above the wafer picking mechanism 30a, and the second surface 42 and four side surfaces 44 of the first wafer 40a1 face the wafer scanning mechanism 30b, the wafer scanning mechanism 30b Scan the second surface 42 and the four side surfaces 44 of the first wafer 40a1. In the embodiment of the present invention, the wafer scanning mechanism 30b has a scanning range 32, which can respectively perform four scanning inspections on the second surface 42 and the four side surfaces 44 of the first wafer 40a1, so that the first wafer 40a1 can be accurately determined. Whether there are defects on the second surface 42 and the four-sided surface 44 of the device.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, when the wafer scanning mechanism 30b is manipulated to move above the first wafer tray 40a, the first surface 41 of each wafer 40a1 in the first wafer tray 40a faces the wafer scanning mechanism 30b, and the wafer scanning The mechanism 30b moves from one end of the first wafer tray 40a to the other end to scan the first surface 41 of each wafer 40a1, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. In the embodiment of the present invention, after the wafer scanning mechanism 30b scans and inspects the second surface 42 and the four side surfaces 44 of the first wafer 40a1, the wafer scanning mechanism 30b can further inspect the first wafer 40a1; Scan and inspect all the surfaces of the first wafer 40a1, and comprehensively determine whether the first wafer 40a1 has defects.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the wafer picking mechanism 30a includes at least one suction head 30a1. Taking the first chip 40a1 as an example, the suction head 30a1 is used to suck the first surface 41 of the first chip 40a1, and the first chip 40a1 is turned over by the chip picking mechanism 30a so that the first chip 40a1 is opposite to the first chip 40a1. The second surface 42 and the four side surfaces 44 of the surface 41 are exposed to the outside.

The above-mentioned wafer inspection method further includes providing a second wafer tray 40b, as shown in FIG. 2. The second wafer tray 40b includes a plurality of second wafers 40b1, and the first surface 41 of each second wafer 40b1 is exposed to the outside.

After the first wafer 40a1 that has been turned over is returned to the first wafer tray 40a by the wafer extraction mechanism 30a, the wafer extraction mechanism 30a extracts one of the second wafers 40b1 in the second wafer tray 40b, and the wafer extraction mechanism 30a is used The extracted second wafer 40b1 is turned over so that the second surface 42 and the four side surfaces 44 of the turned second wafer 40b1 opposite to the first surface 41 are exposed to the outside. The wafer scanning mechanism 30b is moved above the turned over second wafer 40b1, and the wafer scanning mechanism 30b scans the second surface 42 and the four side surfaces 44 of the turned over second wafer 40b1.

The second wafer 40b1 that has been turned over is returned to the second wafer tray 40b by the wafer pick-up mechanism 30a. Move the wafer scanning mechanism 30b to above the second wafer tray 40b, and use the wafer scanning mechanism 30b to move from one end of the second wafer tray 40b to the other end to scan the first surface 41 of each second wafer 40b1 in the second wafer tray 40b, such as As shown in Figure 4C and Figure 4D.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned wafer inspection method further includes providing a third wafer tray (not shown in the figure). When the first surface 41 of each second wafer 40b1 in the second wafer tray 40b is scanned by the wafer scanning mechanism 30b, the first wafer tray 40a is operated to exit the inspection area and replaced with a third wafer tray. Enter the detection area.

With the design of the present invention, the chip picking mechanism can pick up and flip the wafer from the wafer tray, exposing the second surface and side surface of the wafer originally covered by the wafer tray, so that the wafer scanning mechanism can detect the second surface and side surface of the wafer. In turn, the yield of semiconductor wafers is improved.

The above are only the preferred and feasible embodiments of the present invention. Any equivalent changes made by applying the specification of the present invention and the scope of the patent application should be included in the patent scope of the present invention.

[this invention] 1Wafer inspection machine 10 array devices 20 displacement device 20a first sliding stage mechanism 20b second sliding stage mechanism 22 positioning and clamping unit 30 detection device 30a chip extraction organization 30a1 tip 30b Chip scanning agency 32 Scanning range 40 chip tray 40a first chip tray 40b second chip tray 401 chip 40a1 first chip 40b1 second chip 41 First surface 42 Second surface 44 Side surface D1 first direction D2 second direction

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a wafer inspection machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a top view of a wafer inspection machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3A is a partial enlarged view of Figure 2. Fig. 3B is a side view of a wafer inspection machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3C is a schematic diagram of inspection of a wafer according to an embodiment of the present invention, which inspects the second surface of the wafer. FIG. 3D is a schematic diagram of inspection of a wafer according to an embodiment of the present invention, which inspects one side surface of the wafer. 4A is a top view of a wafer inspection machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the wafer scanning mechanism is located at one end of the first wafer tray. 4B is a top view of a wafer inspection machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the wafer scanning mechanism is located at the other end of the first wafer tray. 4C is a top view of a wafer inspection machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the wafer scanning mechanism is located at one end of the second wafer tray. 4D is a top view of a wafer inspection machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the wafer scanning mechanism is located at the other end of the second wafer tray. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a chip picking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 6 is a partial structural diagram of a second sliding stage mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the second sliding stage mechanism includes a positioning and clamping unit.

1Wafer inspection machine 10 array devices 20 displacement device 20a first sliding stage mechanism 20b second sliding stage mechanism 30 detection device 30a wafer extraction mechanism 30b wafer scanning mechanism 40 chip tray 40a first chip tray 40b second chip tray 401 chip 40a1 first chip 40b1 second chip D1 first direction D2 second direction

Claims (11)

A wafer inspection machine includes: an array device, including a wafer tray storage rack, the wafer tray storage rack includes a plurality of wafer trays, and each of the wafer trays includes a plurality of wafers; a displacement device connected to the array device, The displacement device can be manipulated to take out one of the wafer trays from the wafer tray storage rack; and a detection device connected to the displacement device. The detection device includes a wafer extraction mechanism and a wafer scanning mechanism. When the displacement device moves the wafer tray close to the detection device, the wafer picking mechanism extracts one of the wafers in the wafer tray, and the wafer is flipped by the wafer picking mechanism; the wafer scanning mechanism can be moved by manipulation To the top of the wafer tray, and the wafer scanning mechanism can be manipulated to move above the wafers picked up by the wafer picking mechanism, and scan the wafers in the wafer pan and the wafers picked up by the wafer picking mechanism . The wafer inspection machine according to claim 1, wherein the displacement device includes a first sliding stage mechanism and a second sliding stage mechanism, and the first sliding stage mechanism can be manipulated from the wafer The tray storage rack takes out one of the wafer trays, and then transfers the wafer tray to the second sliding stage mechanism. The wafer inspection machine according to claim 2, wherein the inspection device and the second sliding stage mechanism of the displacement device are arranged in an inspection area of the wafer inspection machine, so that the wafer of the inspection device The pick-up mechanism can be manipulated to pick up one of the wafers in the wafer tray, or the wafer scanning mechanism of the inspection device can be manipulated to move above the wafer tray. The wafer inspection machine according to claim 2, wherein the first sliding stage mechanism can be manipulated to move the wafer tray in a first direction, and the second sliding stage mechanism can be controlled The wafer tray is manipulated to move in a second direction, and the first direction is almost perpendicular to the second direction. The wafer inspection machine according to claim 2, wherein the second sliding stage mechanism includes a positioning and clamping unit, and the positioning and clamping unit is used for clamping the wafer tray. The chip inspection machine according to claim 1, wherein the chip picking mechanism includes at least one suction head, and the at least one suction head is used to suck a first surface of the chip, and the chip picking mechanism reverses the The chip makes a second surface and four side surfaces of the chip opposite to the first surface exposed to the outside. The wafer inspection machine according to claim 6, wherein when the wafer scanning mechanism is manipulated to move above the wafer picking mechanism, and the second surface and the four side surfaces of the wafer face the wafer scanning mechanism, the The wafer scanning mechanism scans the second surface and the four side surfaces of the wafer. The wafer inspection machine according to claim 1, wherein when the wafer scanning mechanism is manipulated to move above the wafer tray, a first surface of each wafer in the wafer tray faces the wafer scanning mechanism, and The wafer scanning mechanism scans the first surface of each wafer. A wafer inspection method includes: providing a first wafer tray, the first wafer tray including a plurality of first wafers, and a first surface of each of the first wafers is exposed to the outside; using a wafer extraction mechanism to extract the first wafer One of the first wafers in a wafer tray, and the extracted first wafer is overturned by the wafer extraction mechanism, so that the overturned first wafer is opposite to a second surface of the first surface and Four side surfaces are exposed outward; moving a wafer scanning mechanism above the first wafer that is turned over, and the wafer scanning mechanism scans the second surface and the four side surfaces of the first wafer that is turned over; Use the wafer pick-up mechanism to return the flipped first wafer to the first wafer tray; and move the wafer scanning mechanism to above the first wafer tray, and use the wafer scanning mechanism to scan each of the first wafer trays The first surface of the first wafer. The wafer inspection method according to claim 9, further comprising providing a second wafer tray, the second wafer tray including a plurality of second wafers, and a first surface of each second wafer is exposed to the outside; After the wafer picking mechanism returns the flipped first wafer to the first wafer tray, the wafer picking mechanism picks up one of the second wafers in the second wafer tray, and uses the wafer picking mechanism to turn over The extracted second wafer exposes a second surface and four side surfaces of the inverted second wafer opposite to the first surface; moving the wafer scanning mechanism to above the inverted second wafer , And the wafer scanning mechanism scans the second surface and the four side surfaces of the second wafer that is turned over; returns the second wafer that is turned over to the second wafer tray by using the wafer extraction mechanism; and moves the wafer The scanning mechanism reaches above the second wafer tray, and the first surface of each second wafer in the second wafer tray is scanned by the wafer scanning mechanism. The wafer inspection method according to claim 10, further comprising providing a third wafer tray; when the first surface of each second wafer in the second wafer tray is scanned by the wafer scanning mechanism, the first wafer The disk is replaced by the third wafer disk by the operation.

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