Adaptable wafer probe assembly for testing ICs with different power/ground bond pad configurations

A probe card assembly useful for testing, in conjunction with an integrated circuit tester having a plurality of test channels, an integrated circuit die having a plurality of bond pads including at least one ground bond pad and at least one power bond pad defining a power and ground bond pad configuration for said integrated circuit die, said probe card assembly comprising:

• a probe card having a plurality of needles and a plurality of signal contacts, each needle contacting a respective bond pad of said integrated circuit die, and each signal contact connecting one of said plurality of needles to a corresponding one of said plurality of test channels of said integrated circuit tester, wherein a needle contacting a ground bond pad of said integrated circuit die is referred to as a ground needle, and a signal contact connecting said ground needle to a corresponding one of said plurality of test channels of said integrated circuit tester is referred to as a ground contact;
• and
• a decoupling apparatus mounted on said probe card, and configured for the power and ground bond pad configuration of said integrated circuit die, said decoupling apparatus having a ground bus and at least one ground chip capacitor positioned directly over a corresponding ground contact of said probe card such that said ground chip capacitor is connected at one end to said ground bus and at another end through a conductive ground contact, to said corresponding ground contact of said probe card.