# US 9,753,082 B2 · Inspection method for semiconductor substrate, manufacturing method of semiconductor device and inspection device for semiconductor substrate > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,753,082 B2 - Document ID: US9753082B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/055,200 - Filed: 2016-02-26 - Published: 2016-09-01 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2015-02-27 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Yohei Iwahashi; Hidemi Senda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9753082B2 ## CPC - G01R 31/2875: {related to heating} - G01R 31/26: Testing of individual semiconductor devices (testing of photovoltaic devices H02S50/10; testing or measuring during manufacture or treatment {H10P74/00}) - G01R 31/2608: {for testing bipolar transistors} - G01R 31/2619: {for measuring thermal properties thereof} - H10P 74/207: {Electrical properties, e.g. testing or measuring of resistance, deep levels or capacitance-voltage characteristics} - H10P 74/23: {characterised by multiple measurements, corrections, marking or sorting processes} - G01N 2201/00: Features of devices classified in G01N21/00 - G01R 31/287: {Procedures; Software aspects} - H10P 95/00: Generic processes or apparatus for manufacture or treatments not covered by the other groups of this subclass - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device is provided with an inspecting of a semiconductor substrate by an inspection method, the method including heating the semiconductor substrate, measuring first and second characteristics. The measuring of a first characteristic is performed by bringing a plurality of probes into contact with the heated semiconductor substrate and making a first electric current flow in the semiconductor substrate. The measuring of a second characteristic is performed, after the measuring of the first characteristic, by bringing a plurality of probes into contact with the heated semiconductor substrate and making a second electric current flow in the semiconductor substrate. A number of the plurality of probes used in the measuring of the second characteristic is larger than a number of the plurality of probes used in the measuring of the first characteristic. The second electric current is larger than the first electric current. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An inspection method for a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising: heating the semiconductor substrate; measuring a first characteristic by bringing a plurality of probes into contact with the heated semiconductor substrate and making a first electric current flow in the semiconductor substrate; and measuring a second characteristic, after the measuring of the first characteristic, by bringing a plurality of probes into contact with the heated semiconductor substrate and making a second electric current flow in the semiconductor substrate, wherein a number of the plurality of probes used in the measuring of the second characteristic is larger than a number of the plurality of probes used in the measuring of the first characteristic, and the second electric current is larger than the first electric current, wherein a rate of change in the first characteristic with respect to temperature is larger than a rate of change in the second characteristic with respect to temperature. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The inspection method according to claim 1, wherein a probe card is used to perform the inspection method, the probe card comprises a support body, a plurality of first probes protruding from the support body, and a plurality of second probes protruding from the support body, the first probes protrude from the support body longer than the second probes, in the measuring of the first characteristic, the first probes are brought into contact with the semiconductor substrate and the second probes are not brought into contact with the semiconductor substrate, and in the measuring of the second characteristic, the first and second probes are brought into contact with the semiconductor substrate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, the method comprising: inspecting a semiconductor substrate by performing the inspection method for the semiconductor substrate according to claim 1. ### Claim 4 An inspection method for a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising: heating the semiconductor substrate; measuring a first characteristic by bringing a plurality of probes into contact with the heated semiconductor substrate and making a first electric current flow in the semiconductor substrate; and measuring a second characteristic, after the measuring of the first characteristic, by bringing a plurality of probes into contact with the heated semiconductor substrate and making a second electric current flow in the semiconductor substrate, wherein a number of the plurality of probes used in the measuring of the second characteristic is larger than a number of the plurality of probes used in the measuring of the first characteristic, and the second electric current is larger than the first electric current, wherein the semiconductor substrate includes a semiconductor layer and a diode which is laminated above the semiconductor layer via an insulation film, and the first characteristic is a forward voltage drop of the diode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The inspection method according to claim 4, wherein a probe card is used to perform the inspection method, the probe card comprises a support body, a plurality of first probes protruding from the support body, and a plurality of second probes protruding from the support body, the first probes protrude from the support body longer than the second probes, in the measuring of the first characteristic, the first probes are brought into contact with the semiconductor substrate, and the second probes are not brought into contact with the semiconductor substrate, and in the measuring of the second characteristic, the first and second probes are brought into contact with the semiconductor substrate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, the method comprising: inspecting a semiconductor substrate by performing the inspection method for the semiconductor substrate according to claim 4. ### Claim 7 An inspection device for a semiconductor substrate, the device comprising: a stage on which the semiconductor substrate is mounted; a heater that heats the semiconductor substrate mounted on the stage; a probe card including a plurality of first probes and a plurality of second probes, wherein the probe card is located above the stage such that tips of the first and second probes face the stage, and when the probe card is located above the stage the tips of the first probes are closer to the stage than the tips of the second probes; and a controller configured to perform measurement of a first characteristic and measurement of a second characteristic in this order, wherein the controller is configured to perform: measuring the first characteristic by bringing the first probes into contact with the semiconductor substrate on the stage while not bringing the second probes into contact with the semiconductor substrate on the stage and by making a first electric current flow in the semiconductor substrate; and measuring the second characteristic by bringing the first and second probes into contact with the semiconductor substrate on the stage and by making a second electric current flow in the semiconductor substrate, wherein the second electric current is larger than the first electric current.