Automatic probe card planarization system

An automatic probe card planarization system to planarize a first plane defined by a plurality of contact points of a probe card relative to a second plane defined by a top surface of a wafer supported on a prober, and said probe card intermediate said wafer and a tester with said probe card interfacing electrically with said tester to test the performance of said wafer, said system comprising:

• a processor to determine positions of said first and second planes relative to each other and to calculate a correction necessary to substantially planarize said first and second planes;
• said prober including:
• a first support point;
• first and second adjustable height support points;
• and
• first and second variable height controllers coupled to said first and second adjustable height support points, respectively, to vary the height thereof in response to signals from said processor;
• a measurement device in a fixed relationship to said top surface of said wafer to measure the height of at least three selected contact points on said probe card relative to said top surface of said wafer and to provide said contact heights to said processor to determine said first plane relative to said second plane;
• and
• said tester including:
• a second support point to interface with said first support point of said prober;
• and
• third and fourth support points to individually interface with a corresponding one of said first and second adjustable height support points of said prober to alter the position of said first plane relative to said second plane as the height of said first and second adjustable support points of said prober is varied by said processor.

An automatic probe card planarization system to planarize a first plane defined by a plurality of contact points of a probe card relative to a second plane defined by a top surface of a wafer supported on a prober, and said probe card intermediate said wafer and a tester with said probe card interfacing electrically with said tester to test the performance of said wafer, said system comprising:

• a processor to determine positions of said first and second planes relative to each other and to calculate a correction necessary to substantially planarize said first and second planes;
• said tester including:
• a first support point;
• first and second adjustable height support points;
• and
• first and second variable height controllers coupled to said first and second adjustable height support points, respectively, to vary the height thereof in response to signals from said processor;
• a measurement device in a fixed relationship to said top surface of said wafer to measure the height of at least three selected contact points on said probe card relative to said top surface of said wafer and to provide said contact heights to said processor to determine said first plane relative to said second plane;
• and
• said prober including:
• a second support point to interface with said first support point of said tester;
• and
• third and fourth support points to individually interface with a corresponding one of said first and second adjustable height support points of said tester to alter the position of said first plane relative to said second plane as the height of said first and second adjustable support points of said tester is varied by said processor.

An automatic probe card planarization system to planarize a first plane defined by a plurality of contact points of a probe card relative to a second plane defined by a top surface of a wafer supported on a prober, and said probe card intermediate said wafer and a tester with said probe card interfacing electrically with said tester to test the performance of said wafer, said system comprising:

• a processor to determine positions of said first and second planes relative to each other and to calculate a correction necessary to substantially planarize said first and second planes;
• said tester including:
• first and second support points;
• a third adjustable height support point;
• and
• a first variable height controller coupled to said third adjustable height support point to vary the height thereof in response to signals from said processor;
• a measurement device in a fixed relationship to said top surface of said wafer to measure the height of at least three selected contact points on said probe card relative to said top surface of said wafer and to provide said contact heights to said processor to determine said first plane relative to said second plane;
• and
• said prober including:
• first and third support points to interface with said first and third support points, respectively, of said tester;
• a second adjustable height support point to interface with said second support point of said tester;
• and
• a second variable height controller coupled to said second adjustable height support point to vary the height thereof in response to signals from said processor;
• wherein said first and second variable height controllers, under control of said processor, alter the position of said first plane relative to said second plane as the height of said first and second adjustable support points of said tester is varied by said processor.