Wafer inspection method and inspection apparatus

A wafer inspection apparatus for inspecting a plurality of dies within a matrix region on a wafer;

• the wafer laid out with a plurality of first layout lines and a plurality of first contact pads correspondingly coupled to the first layout lines, respectively, each of the first layout lines coupling to a first electrode point of each of the dies arranged under a first classification definition that is one of an arrangement in a same column and an arrangement in a same row;
• the wafer inspection apparatus comprising:
• a probe card is configured for providing a selected one of the dies via a first route and a second route, so that the first route, the second route and the selected die forming a test loop in an inspection procedure, the probe card including a plurality of first probes, a plurality of second probes, a first switch group coupled to the first probes, a second switch group and a plurality of second layout lines coupled to the second switch group, each of the second layout lines correspondingly coupling to each of the second probes under a second classification definition that is the other of the arrangement in a same column and the arrangement in a same row;
• wherein, each of the first probes is provided for contacting corresponding one of the first contact pads in the inspection procedure, and each of the second probes is provided for contacting a second electrode point of corresponding one of the dies in the inspection procedure;
• wherein, the first switch group is controlled to couple one of the first probes to the first route, and the second switch group is controlled to couple one of the second layout lines to the second route, wherein the first switch group and the second switch group enable the die configured within the test loop to be selected.

A wafer inspection method for configuring a plurality of dies within a matrix region on a wafer one after another in turn in a test loop needed for inspection, the wafer comprising a plurality of first layout lines and a plurality of first contact pads correspondingly coupled to the first layout lines, respectively;

• under a first classification definition, a first electrode point of each of the dies coupled to corresponding one of the first layout lines, and under a second classification definition, the dies presented as a plurality of series arranged in parallel;
• the wafer inspection method comprising:
• a preparation step of providing a probe card, wherein the probe card comprises a plurality of first probes, a plurality of second probes, a first switch group coupled between the first probes and a first route, and a second switch group coupled between the second probes and a second route;
• an initial route establishing step of contacting each of the first probes with corresponding one of the first contact pads, and coupling each of the second probes to a second electrode point of each of the dies;
• an initial route switching step of selectively coupling one of the first layout lines to the first route by controlling the first switch group, selectively coupling one of the plurality of series of dies to the second route by controlling the second switch group, and configuring the die coupled to both of the first route and the second route to be configured in the test loop, wherein the first classification definition is one of an arrangement in a same column and arrangement in a same row, and the second classification definition is the other of the arrangement in a same column and the arrangement in a same row;
• a first switch group scanning step of switching the first layout lines one after another in turn to couple to the first route by controlling the first switch group, for the corresponding dies to be configured one after another in turn in the test loop for performing inspection, and performing a next step once all of the first layout lines have been coupled to the first route;
• and
• a second switch group scanning step of switching the dies corresponding to a next one of the series to couple to the second route by controlling the second switch group, and repeating the first switch group scanning step, until the inspection of the dies within the matrix region is complete once all of the dies corresponding to each series have been coupled to the second route.