Patents by Inventor Haruhiko Yoshioka
Haruhiko Yoshioka 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).
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Patent number: 7221176Abstract: In a vacuum prober, a head plate is arranged on a prober chamber. A stage, first moving mechanism, recessed chamber, and sealing member are provided in the prober chamber. The stage is arranged below a probe card. The first moving mechanism vertically moves the stage in at least the Z direction. The recessed chamber has a bottom portion and side portion. A lower camera, an upper camera, and the stage are operated to obtain data for alignment. When the upper end of the side portion of the recessed chamber comes into tight contact with the lower surface of the sealing member and a vacuum mechanism evacuates the recessed chamber, a vacuum chamber is formed. As the chamber has a small capacity, the time required for evacuation can be shortened.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2005Date of Patent: May 22, 2007Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Haruhiko Yoshioka, Kiyoshi Takekoshi, Shinjiro Watanabe
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Patent number: 7106082Abstract: A stage driving apparatus for a stage of this invention includes a horizontal driving mechanism which moves in a horizontal direction a stage to place a wafer thereon, and an elevating mechanism which moves the stage in a vertical direction. The elevating mechanism has a first elevating mechanism which supports the horizontal driving mechanism and vertically moves the horizontal driving mechanism, and a second elevating mechanism which supports the stage on the horizontal driving mechanism and vertically moves the stage over a short distance with a piezoelectric element.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2005Date of Patent: September 12, 2006Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventor: Haruhiko Yoshioka
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Publication number: 20050253611Abstract: A probe apparatus includes a mounting member on which an object to be inspected is mounted and a temperature thereof is being adjusted, a probe card arranged opposite to the mounting member, a driving mechanism which changes a relative positional relationship between the mounting member and the probe card, and a sensor which detects the distance between the sensor and the probe card. By way of detecting the height of the deformed probe card through the use of the sensor and revising the elevation distance of the mounting member, the electrode pads of the wafer W and the probe pins can electrically contact each other with a stable pin pressure, providing high inspection reliability and an increase in throughput.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2005Publication date: November 17, 2005Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventor: Haruhiko Yoshioka
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Publication number: 20050206396Abstract: In a vacuum prober, a head plate is arranged on a prober chamber. A stage, first moving mechanism, recessed chamber, and sealing member are provided in the prober chamber. The stage is arranged below a probe card. The first moving mechanism vertically moves the stage in at least the Z direction. The recessed chamber has a bottom portion and side portion. A lower camera, an upper camera, and the stage are operated to obtain data for alignment. When the upper end of the side portion of the recessed chamber comes into tight contact with the lower surface of the sealing member and a vacuum mechanism evacuates the recessed chamber, a vacuum chamber is formed. As the chamber has a small capacity, the time required for evacuation can be shortened.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2005Publication date: September 22, 2005Inventors: Haruhiko Yoshioka, Kiyoshi Takekoshi, Shinjiro Watanabe
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Patent number: 6933736Abstract: This invention is a probe apparatus including: a stage onto which a substrate to be processed is placed, a semiconductor device having a plurality of groups of electrode pads being formed on the substrate to be processed; a probe-card holding mechanism that holds a probe card provided with a group of probe needles corresponding to each group of electrode pads; and a driving mechanism that moves the stage and causes the group of probe needles to successively come in contact with the respective groups of electrode pads. A converting device that converts mechanical vibration energy generated in components of the probe apparatus into electrical energy, and an electrical circuit that discreates an electrical current based on the electric energy converted by the converting device are further provided.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2003Date of Patent: August 23, 2005Assignees: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Masahito Kobayashi, Haruhiko Yoshioka, Takafumi Fujita
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Patent number: 6927587Abstract: A probe apparatus includes a mounting member on which an object to be inspected is mounted and a temperature thereof is being adjusted, a probe card arranged opposite to the mounting member, a driving mechanism which changes a relative positional relationship between the mounting member and the probe card, and a sensor which detects the distance between the sensor and the probe card. By way of detecting the height of the deformed probe card through the use of the sensor and revising the elevation distance of the mounting member, the electrode pads of the wafer W and the probe pins can electrically contact each other with a stable pin pressure, providing high inspection reliability and an increase in throughput.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2003Date of Patent: August 9, 2005Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventor: Haruhiko Yoshioka
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Publication number: 20050127898Abstract: A stage driving apparatus for a stage of this invention includes a horizontal driving mechanism which moves in a horizontal direction a stage to place a wafer thereon, and an elevating mechanism which moves the stage in a vertical direction. The elevating mechanism has a first elevating mechanism which supports the horizontal driving mechanism and vertically moves the horizontal driving mechanism, and a second elevating mechanism which supports the stage on the horizontal driving mechanism and vertically moves the stage over a short distance with a piezoelectric element.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2005Publication date: June 16, 2005Inventor: Haruhiko Yoshioka
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Patent number: 6850052Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 30, 2002Date of Patent: February 1, 2005Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Shinji Iino, Haruhiko Yoshioka
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Publication number: 20040164759Abstract: This invention is a probe apparatus including: a stage onto which a substrate to be processed is placed, a semiconductor device having a plurality of groups of electrode pads being formed on the substrate to be processed; a probe-card holding mechanism that holds a probe card provided with a group of probe needles corresponding to each group of electrode pads; and a driving mechanism that moves the stage and causes the group of probe needles to successively come in contact with the respective groups of electrode pads. A converting device that converts mechanical vibration energy generated in components of the probe apparatus into electrical energy, and an electrical circuit that discreates an electrical current based on the electric energy converted by the converting device are further provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2004Publication date: August 26, 2004Inventors: Masahito Kobayashi, Haruhiko Yoshioka, Takafumi Fujita
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Publication number: 20040036861Abstract: A probe apparatus includes a mounting member on which an object to be inspected is mounted and a temperature thereof is being adjusted, a probe card arranged opposite to the mounting member, a driving mechanism which changes a relative positional relationship between the mounting member and the probe card, and a sensor which detects the distance between the sensor and the probe card. By way of detecting the height of the deformed probe card through the use of the sensor and revising the elevation distance of the mounting member, the electrode pads of the wafer W and the probe pins can electrically contact each other with a stable pin pressure, providing high inspection reliability and an increase in throughput.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2003Publication date: February 26, 2004Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventor: Haruhiko Yoshioka
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Patent number: 6634245Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 28, 2000Date of Patent: October 21, 2003Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Haruhiko Yoshioka, Shinji Iino, Yutaka Akaike, Masaru Suzuki
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Publication number: 20030025495Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2002Publication date: February 6, 2003Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LTD.Inventors: Shinji Ilno, Haruhiko Yoshioka
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Patent number: 6262570Abstract: A probe apparatus comprising an apparatus body fitted with a probing card having a probe connected electrically with an electrode of an object of inspection, a test head operatively mounted on the apparatus body and electrically continuous with the probe of the probing card, rotating mechanism for rotating the test head, and vertical moving mechanism for vertically raising or lowering the test head.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 1999Date of Patent: July 17, 2001Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Yutaka Akaike, Chiaki Mochizuki, Isao Kono, Haruhiko Yoshioka
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Patent number: 6140828Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 4, 1998Date of Patent: October 31, 2000Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Shinji Iino, Haruhiko Yoshioka
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Patent number: 5912555Abstract: A probe apparatus comprising an apparatus body fitted with a probing card having a probe connected electrically with an electrode of an object of inspection, a test head operatively mounted on the apparatus body and electrically continuous with the probe of the probing card, rotating mechanism for rotating the test head, and vertical moving mechanism for vertically raising or lowering the test head.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 1996Date of Patent: June 15, 1999Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Yutaka Akaike, Chiaki Mochizuki, Isao Kono, Haruhiko Yoshioka
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Patent number: 5804983Abstract: A probe apparatus comprising a table on which a semiconductor wafer is mounted, the wafer having a circuit connected to a plurality of pads, a probe card assembly positioned relative to a reference plane, and having a card body and groups of probes held by a card holder, a drive system for moving the table up and down to cause the pads to be contacted with probe tips, a test head for sending test signal to the circuit through probes and pads, which are contacted with one another, to test the electric property of the circuit, a sensor for detecting the probe tip profile or levels at plural points of the probe card assembly, a controller for calculating the tilting degree and direction of probe tip profile of probe groups on the basis of results thus detected to thereby send correction commands, and a tilt correction unit for supporting the card holder and adjusting a level of the card holder at the plural points, responsive to the command applied from the controller, to thereby make the probe tip profile of eaType: GrantFiled: March 27, 1997Date of Patent: September 8, 1998Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo Electron Yamanashi LimitedInventors: Hisashi Nakajima, Haruhiko Yoshioka
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Patent number: 5642056Abstract: A probe apparatus including a table on which a semiconductor wafer is mounted, for a wafer having a circuit connected to a plurality of pads. A probe card assembly is positioned relative to a reference plane, and has a card body and groups of probes held by a card holder. A drive system moves the table up and down to cause the pads to contact probe tips, and a test head sends test signals to the circuit through the probes and pads, which contact one another, to test the electric property of the circuit. In addition, a sensor detects the probe tip profile or levels at plural points of the probe card assembly, and a controller calculates the tilting degree and direction of probe tip profile of probe groups on the basis of the results thus detected to thereby send correction commands.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 1994Date of Patent: June 24, 1997Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo Electron Yamanashi LimitedInventors: Hisashi Nakajima, Haruhiko Yoshioka
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Patent number: 5640101Abstract: A probe system tests the electrical characteristics of chips arranged in a matrix on a semiconductor wafer. An XYZ stage movable in the directions of three-dimensional axes is disposed under a probe card having probes to be brought into contact with the electrode pads of the chips. A wafer table rotatable within a horizontal plane is disposed on the XYZ stage. A first image pickup means for picking up the probe images is mounted on the XYZ stage. A second image pickup means for picking up a wafer image is disposed above the table. The second image pickup means is movable horizontally to and from a use position under the probe card. A target is supported and moved by a driving member mounted on the XYZ stage, for aligning the focal points and optical axes of the first and second image pickup means. The target is moved between forward and retreat positions within and outside the field of view of the first image pickup means.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 1996Date of Patent: June 17, 1997Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo Electron Yamanashi LimitedInventors: Motohiro Kuji, Haruhiko Yoshioka, Shinji Akaike, Shigeaki Takahashi
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Patent number: 5585738Abstract: A probe system tests the electrical characteristics of chips arranged in a matrix on a semiconductor wafer. An XYZ stage movable in the directions of three-dimensional axes is disposed under a probe card having probes to be brought into contact with the electrode pads of the chips. A wafer table rotatable within a horizontal plane is disposed on the XYZ stage. A first image pickup means for picking up the probe images is mounted on the XYZ stage. A second image pickup means for picking up a wafer image is disposed above the table. The second image pickup means is movable horizontally to and from a use position under the probe card. A target is supported and moved by a driving member mounted on the XYZ stage, for aligning the focal points and optical axes of the first and second image pickup means. The target is moved between forward and retreat positions within and outside the field of view of the first image pickup means.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 1995Date of Patent: December 17, 1996Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo Electron Yamanashi LimitedInventors: Motohiro Kuji, Haruhiko Yoshioka, Shinji Akaike, Shigeaki Takahashi
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Patent number: D383683Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 1996Date of Patent: September 16, 1997Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Osamu Kamata, Masahiko Sugiyama, Munetoshi Nagasaka, Haruhiko Yoshioka, Kazumi Yamagata