Patents by Inventor Shinji Iino

Shinji Iino has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7319339
    Abstract: Disclosed is an inspection method for inspecting the electrical characteristics of a device by bringing an inspecting probe into electrical contact with an inspection electrode. An insulating film formed on the surface of the inspection electrode is broken by utilizing a fritting phenomenon so as to bring the inspection electrode into electrical contact with the inspection electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shinji Iino, Kiyoshi Takekoshi, Tadatomo Suga, Toshihiro Itoh, Kenichi Kataoka
  • Patent number: 7304489
    Abstract: Disclosed is an inspection method for inspecting the electrical characteristics of a device by bringing an inspecting probe into electrical contact with an inspection electrode. An insulating film formed on the surface of the inspection electrode is broken by utilizing a fritting phenomenon so as to bring the inspection electrode into electrical contact with the inspection electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shinji Iino, Kiyoshi Takekoshi, Tadatomo Suga, Toshihiro Itoh, Kenichi Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20070229101
    Abstract: Disclosed is an inspection method for inspecting the electrical characteristics of a device by bringing an inspecting probe into electrical contact with an inspection electrode. An insulating film formed on the surface of the inspection electrode is broken by utilizing a fritting phenomenon so as to bring the inspection electrode into electrical contact with the inspection electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventors: Shinji Iino, Kiyoshi Takekoshi, Tadatomo Suga, Toshihiro Itoh, Kenichi Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20060192578
    Abstract: Disclosed is an inspection method for inspecting the electrical characteristics of a device by bringing an inspecting probe into electrical contact with an inspection electrode. An insulating film formed on the surface of the inspection electrode is broken by utilizing a fritting phenomenon so as to bring the inspection electrode into electrical contact with the inspection electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2006
    Publication date: August 31, 2006
    Applicants: TOKYO ELECTON LIMITED, TADATOMO SUGA, TOSHIHIRO ITOH
    Inventors: Shinji Iino, Kiyoshi Takekoshi, Tadatomo Suga, Toshihiro Itoh, Kenichi Kataoka
  • Patent number: 7061259
    Abstract: Disclosed is an inspection method for inspecting the electrical characteristics of a device by bringing an inspecting probe into electrical contact with an inspection electrode. An insulating film formed on the surface of the inspection electrode is broken by utilizing a fritting phenomenon so as to bring the inspection electrode into electrical contact with the inspection electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shinji Iino, Kiyoshi Takekoshi, Tadatomo Suga, Toshihiro Itoh, Kenichi Kataoka
  • Patent number: 6850052
    Abstract: A prober of this invention includes a probe card, a main chuck, a shaft member fixed on and extending downwardly from the main chuck, an X table and Y table for retaining the shaft member by use of a guide to be freely movable in a vertical direction, and a contact body fixed on the shaft member. The undersurface of the contact body is made parallel to the mounting surface of the main chuck. The prober further includes an elevation body whose center coincides with an extension line downwardly extending from the test center of the probe card, and an elevation body elevating mechanism for vertically moving the elevation body and a ball provided on the upper portion of the elevation body is slidably set in contact with the undersurface of the contact body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shinji Iino, Haruhiko Yoshioka
  • Publication number: 20040174177
    Abstract: Disclosed is an inspection method for inspecting the electrical characteristics of a device by bringing an inspecting probe into electrical contact with an inspection electrode. An insulating film formed on the surface of the inspection electrode is broken by utilizing a fritting phenomenon so as to bring the inspection electrode into electrical contact with the inspection electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Applicants: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, TADATOMO SUGA, TOSHIHIRO ITOH
    Inventors: Shinji Iino, Kiyoshi Takekoshi, Tadatomo Suga, Toshihiro Itoh, Kenichi Kataoka
  • Patent number: 6777967
    Abstract: Disclosed is an inspection method for inspecting the electrical characteristics of a device by bringing an inspecting probe into electrical contact with an inspection electrode. An insulating film formed on the surface of the inspection electrode is broken by utilizing a fritting phenomenon so as to bring the inspection electrode into electrical contact with the inspection electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tadatomo Suga, Toshihiro Itoh
    Inventors: Shinji Iino, Kiyoshi Takekoshi, Tadatomo Suga, Toshihiro Itoh, Kenichi Kataoka
  • Patent number: 6747465
    Abstract: There is disclosed a contactor which is used for testing electric characteristics of an object to be tested, the contactor comprising a contactor board, a plurality of conductive members formed through the contactor board, a plurality of beam members, and a contact terminal provided at the tip of each beam member. In this contactor, each beam member has a tip and a base end at its both ends, and has a step shape or an arch shape between the tip and the base end. The base end of each beam member is connected to each conductive member. The contact terminal member can be formed integrally with a conductive layer of the beam member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masayoshi Esashi, Shinji Iino, Tomohisa Hoshino
  • Patent number: 6747467
    Abstract: An assembly apparatus of a contactor including unit contactors and a base substrate. The apparatus includes a laying mechanism for laying a substrate for alignment, a first conveying mechanism for conveying a plurality of unit contactors to the substrate for alignment laid on the laying mechanism, a second conveying mechanism for conveying a base substrate, a holding mechanism for holding the base substrate, and a positioning mechanism for positioning the substrate for alignment with the plurality of unit contactors disposed thereon and the base substrate. Also included is a contact mechanism for bringing the plurality of unit contactors disposed on the substrate for alignment into contact with the base substrate, and a heating mechanism for heating at least one of the substrate for alignment and base substrate to electrically connect the plurality of unit contactors disposed on the substrate for alignment to the base substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Shinji Iino
  • Patent number: 6634245
    Abstract: A rotating mechanism 18 according to the present invention is a mechanism for reversibly rotating a chuck top 11, on which a wafer to be inspected is mounted. The rotating mechanism is provided with a linearly driving mechanism 181 arranged on one side of the chuck top 11, a nut 182 which is linearly moved by the linearly driving mechanism, a guide rail 183A for linearly guiding the nut 182, and a link mechanism 184 for coupling the nut 182, which moves along the guide rail 183A, to the chuck top 11.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Haruhiko Yoshioka, Shinji Iino, Yutaka Akaike, Masaru Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6590381
    Abstract: Disclosed are a holding mechanism of a contactor and an automatic renewing mechanism of a contactor provided with the holding mechanism of the contactor. The contactor holding mechanism includes a frame (11) fixed to a performance board (P), a plurality of latch mechanisms (13) for holding the contactor inside the frame, and a suction fixing mechanism (14) for fixing the contactor held by the latch mechanisms inside the frame by a vacuum suction force. The automatic renewing mechanism of the contactor includes a holding mechanism (10) for detachably holding the contactor, and a delivery mechanism (16) for delivering the contactor (12) to and from the holding mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shinji Iino, Junichi Hagihara, Kiyoshi Takekoshi
  • Patent number: 6545493
    Abstract: A probing apparatus is adapted for high-speed measurement and used for inspecting the electric characteristics of an object under inspection. The probing apparatus is provided with a probing apparatus main body, a contactor arranged inside the probing apparatus main body, pin electronics including a plurality of electronic circuits and arranged in a transmission line that is provided for transmission of inspection signals between the contactor and a tester located outside the probing apparatus, the electronic circuits being made of at least one integrated circuit, an interposer for electrically connecting the pin electronics and the contactor together, and a cooling unit for cooling the pin electronics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Shinji Iino
  • Publication number: 20020057099
    Abstract: There is disclosed a contactor which is used for testing electric characteristics of an object to be tested, the contactor comprising a contactor board, a plurality of conductive members formed through the contactor board, a plurality of beam members, and a contact terminal provided at the tip of each beam member. In this contactor, each beam member has a tip and a base end at its both ends, and has a step shape or an arch shape between the tip and the base end. The base end of each beam member is connected to each conductive member. The contact terminal member can be formed integrally with a conductive layer of the beam member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventors: Masayoshi Esashi, Shinji Iino, Tomohisa Hoshino
  • Publication number: 20020053922
    Abstract: There is disclosed an assembly apparatus of a contactor comprising unit contactors and a base substrate, the apparatus comprising a laying mechanism for laying a substrate for alignment, a first conveying mechanism for conveying a plurality of unit contactors to the substrate for alignment laid on the laying mechanism, a second conveying mechanism for conveying a base substrate, a holding mechanism for holding the base substrate, a positioning mechanism for positioning the substrate for alignment with the plurality of unit contactors disposed thereon and the base substrate, a contact mechanism for bringing the plurality of unit contactors disposed on the substrate for alignment into contact with the base substrate, and a heating mechanism for heating at least one of the substrate for alignment and base substrate to electrically connect the plurality of unit contactors disposed on the substrate for alignment to the base substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Publication date: May 9, 2002
    Inventor: Shinji Iino
  • Patent number: 6380753
    Abstract: A power supply applies a power supply voltage to a large number of devices formed on a wafer W. In the state where the devices are quiescent, the quiescent power supply currents flowing through them are measured. If measurements are greater than a setting value, the corresponding devices are determined to be defective. A cutoff circuit prevents voltage application to such defective devices. After this preliminary test, an IDDQ test, an AC test, a DC test and a function test are executed. These tests are executed not by a control station but by an application/measurement module provided for a prober.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shinji Iino, Itaru Iida
  • Publication number: 20020021142
    Abstract: Disclosed is an inspection method for inspecting the electrical characteristics of a device by bringing an inspecting probe into electrical contact with an inspection electrode. An insulating film formed on the surface of the inspection electrode is broken by utilizing a fritting phenomenon so as to bring the inspection electrode into electrical contact with the inspection electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2001
    Publication date: February 21, 2002
    Inventors: Shinji Iino, Kiyoshi Takekoshi, Tadatomo Suga, Toshihiro Itoh, Kenichi Kataoka
  • Patent number: 6344752
    Abstract: A conventional probe card is very complex in a support structure of probe terminals and it has been difficult to change an array of the probe terminals correspondingly to various arrays of electrode pads of an object to be checked. A contactor (1) of the present invention simultaneously sets its probe terminals in contact with a plurality of electrode pads of an object to be checked and electrical checking of the object is made once or a plurality of times. It has a plurality of first electrodes (3) arranged on a first substrate (silicon substrate) (2) and probe terminals (4) respectively provided on these electrodes (3). The probe terminal (4) has a conductive support (7) provided on the first electrode, elastic support plate (8) whose one end is fixed to the upper end of the conductive support column (7), and probe terminal (bump) 9 fixed to the free end portion of the elastic support plate (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Junichi Hagihara, Shinji Iino
  • Patent number: 6140828
    Abstract: A prober includes a probe card, a main chuck, a shaft member fixed on and extending downwardly from the main chuck, an X table and Y table for retaining the shaft member by use of a guide to be freely movable in a vertical direction, and a contact body fixed on the shaft member. The undersurface of the contact body is made parallel to the mounting surface of the main chuck. The prober further includes an elevation body whose center coincides with an extension line downwardly extending from the test center of the probe card, and an elevation body elevating mechanism for vertically moving the elevation body and a ball provided on the upper portion of the elevation body is slidably set in contact with the undersurface of the contact body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shinji Iino, Haruhiko Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 6130543
    Abstract: This vacuum contactor has a contactor body having on its lower surface a plurality of projecting terminals that can come into contact with electrodes of at least one chip formed on a wafer (W), and a dished space member through which the contactor body extends to be integrally supported. The dished space member forms a closed space including the projecting portions of the contactor body. An O-ring which comes into contact with the wafer (W) to form a closed space is arranged on the lower surface of the peripheral wall of the dished space member. The dished space member is connected to an exhaust path and an exhaust pipe. During inspection, the gas in the closed space is exhausted by the exhaust pipe to set the closed space at a low atmospheric pressure. A force that chucks the wafer (W) toward the closed space is applied to the wafer (W) by a suction force generated by the low atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Shinji Iino