Automated probe card planarization and alignment methods and tools

A method for performing automated alignment of a probe of a probe card, comprising:

• determining desired horizontal locations for probes of said probe card for a device under test (DUT) to be tested by said probe card;
• determining actual horizontal positions for the probes of said probe card;
• comparing the desired horizontal location for a probe with the actual horizontal position for the probe to determine a horizontal correction distance and a horizontal correction direction to correct a horizontal alignment for the probe;
• upon obtaining said horizontal correction distance and said horizontal correction direction for said probe, a first tool automatically correcting the horizontal alignment for said probe with respect to the probe card based on said horizontal correction distance and said horizontal correction direction;
• upon determining that an actual vertical position of said probe is closer to said probe card than a desired vertical position, a second tool automatically changing the actual vertical position of said probe with respect to the probe card to the desired vertical position;
• and
• upon determining that said actual vertical position is farther from said probe card than said desired vertical position, a third tool automatically changing the actual vertical position of said probe with respect to the probe card to the desired vertical position.