Method and apparatus for sorting semiconductor devices

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for sorting semiconductor devices for processing where the semiconductor devices have been singulated from a strip containing a plurality of semiconductor devices and where an electronic strip map has been created corresponding to the strip of semiconductor devices and the electronic strip map contains address and quality information related to each individual singulated semiconductor device. The method includes the steps of moving a pickup device to a location adjacent the singulated semiconductor devices and selectively picking up a first plurality of singulated semiconductor devices based on the electronic strip map information related to the singulated semiconductor devices and moving the semiconductor devices that have been picked up to a predetermined location based on the electronic strip map information related to the specific semiconductor devices that have been picked up and unloading the first plurality of semiconductor devices at the predetermined location.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for sorting semiconductor devices for processing comprising the steps of: 
 providing the semiconductor devices each include an integrated circuit and an attached plurality of leads electrically connected with the integrated circuit, the semiconductor devices have been singulated from a strip containing a plurality of semiconductor devices while still retaining the semiconductor devices in a form corresponding to their positioning on the strip and where an electronic strip map has been created corresponding to the strip of semiconductor device and the electronic strip map contains address and quality information related to each individual singulated semiconductor device;    moving a pickup device to a location adjacent the singulated semiconductor devices and selectively picking up a first plurality of singulated semiconductor devices based on the electronic strip map information relating to the singulated semiconductor devices; and    moving the semiconductor devices that have been picked up to a predetermined location based on the electronic strip map information relating to the specific semiconductor devices that have been picked up and unloading the first plurality of semiconductor devices at the predetermined location.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of visually inspecting the first plurality of semiconductor devices which have been picked up by the pickup device for transfer to the predetermined location to confirm that semiconductor devices picked up correspond to the first plurality of semiconductor devices that were selected to be picked up based on the electronic strip map information.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of: 
 visually inspecting the first plurality of semiconductor devices which have been picked up by the pickup device for transfer to the predetermined location to perform a quality inspection of the semiconductor devices; and  
 modifying the predetermined unload location for any semiconductor device that is determined to have a different quality characteristic than the quality characteristic indicated by the electronic strip map information for that particular semiconductor device.  
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of: 
 returning the pickup device to the singulated semiconductor units that were not previously picked up and selectively picking up a second plurality of singulated semiconductor devices based on the electronic strip map information relating to the singulated semiconductor devices; and  
 moving the second plurality of semiconductor devices that have been picked up to a predetermined location based on the electronic strip map information relating to the specific semiconductor devices that have been picked up and unloading the second plurality of semiconductor devices at the predetermined location.  
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of unloading the semiconductor devices that have been picked up at the predetermined location consists of unloading the semiconductor devices from the pickup device into a tray for subsequent transfer for further processing.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of unloading the semiconductor devices that have been picked up at the predetermined location consists of unloading the semiconductor devices from the pickup device into a bin for subsequent transfer for further processing.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of unloading the semiconductor devices that have been picked up at the predetermined location consists of unloading the semiconductor devices from the pickup device into a tape and reel apparatus for subsequent transfer for further processing.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of selectively picking up a first plurality of singulated semiconductor devices based on the electronic strip map information relating to the singulated semiconductor devices consists of selectively picking up semiconductor devices having a “good” quality characteristic from the electronic strip map information.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of selectively picking up a first plurality of singulated semiconductor devices based on the electronic strip map information relating to the singulated semiconductor devices consists of selectively picking up semiconductor devices having a “bad” quality characteristic from the electronic strip map information.  
     
     
         10 . A method for sorting semiconductor devices for processing comprising the steps of: 
 providing an electronic strip map corresponding to a strip of semiconductor devices, each semiconductor device including an integrated circuit and an attached plurality of leads electrically connected with the integrated circuit, the electronic strip map containing address information specific to the location of each semiconductor device and quality information regarding each semiconductor device on the strip, the semiconductor devices attached to a lead frame;    singulating the semiconductor devices contained on the strip from the lead frame and into individual semiconductor devices while still retaining the semiconductor devices in a form corresponding to their positioning on the strip;    moving a pickup device to a location adjacent the singulated semiconductor devices and selectively picking up a plurality of singulated semiconductor devices based on the electronic strip map information relating to the singulated semiconductor devices; and    moving the semiconductor devices that have been picked up to a predetermined location based on the electronic strip map information relating to the specific semiconductor devices that have been picked up and unloading the plurality of semiconductor devices at the predetermined location.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the step of visually inspecting the semiconductor devices which have been picked up by the pickup device for transfer to the predetermined location to confirm that semiconductor devices picked up correspond to the plurality of semiconductor devices that were selected to be picked up based on the electronic strip map information.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the steps of: 
 visually inspecting the semiconductor devices which have been picked up by the pickup device for transfer to the predetermined location to perform a quality inspection of the semiconductor devices; and  
 modifying the predetermined unload location for any semiconductor device that is determined to have a different quality characteristic than the quality characteristic indicated by the electronic strip map information for that particular semiconductor device.  
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the steps of: 
 returning the pickup device to the singulated semiconductor units that were not previously picked up and selectively picking up a second plurality of singulated semiconductor devices based on the electronic strip map information relating to the singulated semiconductor devices; and  
 moving the second plurality of semiconductor devices that have been picked up to a predetermined location based on the electronic strip map information relating to the specific semiconductor devices that have been picked up and unloading the plurality of semiconductor devices at the predetermined location.