Coplanarity inspection at the singulation process
AssigneeSt Assembly Test Service Ltd.
InventorsAntonio B. Dimaano, Jr., Weddie Pacio Aquien, John Briar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In accordance with the objectives of the invention a new method and apparatus is provide for assuring contact balls coplanarity. The process and apparatus for coplanarity inspection is integrated with the current processing step of BGA device singulation and pick-and-place, thereby eliminating the need for a separate processing step that is typically required for the coplanarity inspection.
Claims14
A method for inspecting the coplanarity of substrates for ball grid array, column grid array and similar surface mount integrated circuit chips, using 3-D optical sensing means, comprising the steps of:
- providing a substrate strip that is used for mounting of said ball grid array, column grid array and similar surface mount integrated circuit chips;
- attaching said ball grid array, column grid array or similar surface mount integrated circuit chips to said substrate strip;
- wire bonding said ball grid array, column grid array or similar surface mount integrated circuit chips to metal traces that are contained in said substrate strip;
- encapsulation of said ball grid array, column grid array or similar surface mount integrated circuit chips in a protective molding;
- marking said ball grid array, column grid array or similar surface mount integrated circuit chips for production control purposes;
- attaching of contact balls to said ball grid array, column grid array or similar surface mount integrated circuit chips;
- singulating said ball grid array, column grid array or similar surface mount integrated circuit chips by separating said substrate into individual substrates;
- transporting said individual substrates through a buffer zone;
- and
- measuring ball coplanarity for each of said individual substrates.
An apparatus for inspecting the coplanarity of substrates for ball grid array, column grid array and similar surface mount integrated circuit chips, using 3-D optical sensing means, comprising:
- a means for singulating said ball grid array, column grid array or similar surface mount integrated circuit chips by separating said substrate into individual substrates;
- a means for orientation of said individual substrates;
- a means for marking inspection of said individual substrates;
- and
- a means for performing ball inspection thereby including measuring ball coplanarity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.