# US 10,310,010 B2 · Probe apparatus and probe method

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,310,010 B2
- Document ID: US10310010B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/957,459
- Filed: 2015-12-02
- Published: 2016-06-09
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2014-12-05
- Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited; Seiwa Optical Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited; Seiwa Optical Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Muneaki Tamura; Shinji Akaike; Kenta Saiki; Kazuhiko Koshimizu; Isao Okazaki; Mitsuya Kawatsuki; Kiyoshi Tsuda
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10310010B2

## CPC

- G01R 31/2891: {related to sensing or controlling of force, position, temperature (G01R31/2874 takes precedence; sensing of force G01L; sensing of position G01B, G01D; sensing of temperature G01K; controlling in general G05)}
- G01R 31/2887: {involving moving the probe head or the IC under test; docking stations (moving single probes G01R1/06705; moving individual probes in multiple probes G01R1/07392)}
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)

## Abstract

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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A probe apparatus comprising:
a stage configured to hold a substrate and to be movable in horizontal and vertical directions;
a first imaging device configured to capture an image of a probe needle configured to contact with an electrode of a device formed on a surface of the substrate;
a first imaging optical unit including an optical system configured to perform image capture by using the first imaging device;
a second imaging device configured to capture an image of the electrode in a state where the substrate is held on the stage;
a second imaging optical unit including an optical system configured to perform image capture by using the second imaging device;
a projection optical unit including an optical system configured to project an optical target mark onto each of image forming units of the first and the second imaging device at the same time, wherein the optical target mark is used for position alignment of the first and the second imaging device; and
a target, wherein the optical target mark is a projected image of the target;
wherein the projection optical unit is configured to form an image forming position, on which the optical target mark is projected, at an optically conjugate position with respect to the image forming unit of the first imaging device,
wherein the target, the image forming position, and the image forming unit of the second imaging device are arranged to be optically conjugate with each other, and the optical target mark is projected on each of the image forming units of the first and the second imaging device at the same time, and
wherein the image forming position of the optical target mark is located between the first imaging optical unit and the second imaging optical unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The probe apparatus of claim 1, wherein the projection optical unit includes:
a projection light source configured to irradiate light to the target;
a splitter configured to split the light having passed through the target from the projection light source; and
a focusing unit configured to focus the light split by the splitter to cause the optical target mark to be formed on the image forming unit of the first imaging device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The probe apparatus of claim 2, wherein the focusing unit comprises a concave reflecting mirror.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The probe apparatus of claim 1, wherein the target is disposed outside of a space between the first imaging optical unit and the second imaging optical unit.

### Claim 5

A probe method by using a probe apparatus comprising:
disposing a substrate on a movable stage;
using a first imaging device to capture an image of a probe needle configured to contact with an electrode of a device formed on a surface of the substrate;
using a second imaging device to capture an image of the electrode in a state where the substrate is disposed on the stage;
projecting an optical target mark onto each of image forming units of the first and the second imaging device at a same time, wherein the optical target mark is used for position alignment of the first and the second imaging device, wherein the optical target mark is a projected image of a target; and
forming an image forming position, on which the optical target mark is projected, at an optically conjugate position with respect to an image forming unit of the first imaging device,
wherein the target, the image forming position, and the image forming unit of the second imaging device are arranged to be optically conjugate with each other, and
wherein the image forming position of the optical target mark is located between a first imaging optical unit of the first imaging device and the second imaging optical unit of the second imaging device.