Probe apparatus

A probe apparatus comprising:

• probe card means including probe needles, and a memory element containing data of level of said probe needles, representing the distance between the probe card means and a wafer to be probed;
• means for supporting the wafer containing at least one semiconductor device having a plurality of electrode pads, and for vertically moving said wafer;
• and
• controlling means connectable to the memory element for attaining a level of the probe needles of said probe card means based on data read out from the memory element of said probe card means, for driving said supporting and moving means based on the data in the memory element first at a high speed then at a low speed such that said electrode pads of said wafer approach tips of said probe needles in accordance with a distance therebetween to bring said electrode pads into contact with said probe needles, and for updating the data in the memory element based on the distance between the wafer and the probe needles to increase testing speed.

A probe apparatus comprising:

• probe card means including probe needles and a first memory means containing data of a level of said probe needles, representing the distance between the probe card means and an object to be probed;
• supporting means provided underneath said probe card means, for supporting a wafer containing at least one semiconductor device having a plurality of electrode pads, at an initial position;
• driving means for vertically moving said supporting means;
• controlling means connectable to the memory element for attaining a level of the probe needles of said probe card means based on data read out from the memory element of said probe card means, and for driving said supporting means by a first distance at a high speed then by a second distance at a low speed such that said electrode pads approach said probe needles to bring said electrode pads into contact with said probe needles at a contact point;
• second memory means for detecting a level of the contact point of the wafer first detected, and for storing data of said level of the contact point;
• and
• means for examining said at least one semiconductor element via said probe needles brought into contact with said electrode pads;
• said driving means further comprising:
• means for returning said supporting means which have been supporting said wafer with which examination of said semiconductor is finished, to said initial position;
• and means for removing said wafer with which the examination is finished, from the supporting means returned to said initial position, and placing a wafer to be examined next onto said supporting means
• said controlling means controls said driving means based on the data of the level of the contact point stored in said second memory means, to move said supporting means toward the probe needles by said second distance, which is longer than said first distance, at the high speed.

A probe apparatus comprising:

• a probe card including a plurality of probe needles;
• a card holder for supporting said probe card;
• means for supporting an object movably in a vertical direction;
• a contact ring for supporting said card holder detachably above said supporting means;
• and
• a ROM built in said card holder, and containing data on a distance between said probe needles and said supporting means.

A probe apparatus comprising:

• a probe card having probe needles;
• a programmable memory device positioned on the probe card for storing data which represents the distance between tips of the probe needles and a semiconductor wafer;
• means for supporting the wafer;
• controlling means for driving together the supporting means and the probe card at a sufficiently high speed then at a sufficiently low speed such that the probe needles and wafer do not collide in accordance with the distance data representing the distance between the probe needles and the wafer, and for updating the memory device in accordance with the distance between the probe needles and the wafer.

A method for probing a semiconductor wafer, avoiding collision between probe and semiconductor wafer, comprising the steps of:

• programming a memory device positioned on a probe card with data representing the distance between probe needles on the probe card and the semiconductor wafer;
• setting the probe card and wafer in a position adjacent to one another;
• electronically reading the distance data from the memory device;
• advancing the wafer toward the probe card at a sufficiently high speed then at a sufficiently low speed;
• automatically detecting the point where the probe needles contact the wafer;
• stopping the wafer from advancing toward the probe card after the probe needles contact the wafer;
• and
• updating the memory device by storing contact point data.