Patent · US Expired

Probe method and apparatus with improved probe contact

US5777485A · kind A · utility

123Cited by
4References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 19, 1996
Grant dateJul 7, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 19, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R31/2851
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A probe apparatus in which a wafer having IC chips arrayed with electrode pads is supported by a pedestal, and the pedestal is moved relatively to a probe card in the X, Y, Z directions to bring the electrode pads into contact with probes of the probe card so as to perform an electric measurement of the part to be inspected, the apparatus includes a parameter setting part for setting a distance in the Z direction between the probe and the electrode pad when the pedestal is moved along the X, Y planes to specify the initial position of the chip, a memory unit for storing the distance in the Z direction set by the parameter setting part, and a control unit for moving the pedestal in the Z direction in a manner to be apart from the probe card on the basis of the distance in the Z direction stored in the memory unit to move the chip to the initial position, and moving relatively the pedestal in the Z direction from the position to the probe card so as to contact the electrode pad of the chip with the probe.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.