A probe apparatus has probe wires with a contact pattern on one side. The contact pattern is for contacting a respective contact pattern on another test equipment or component, such as a circuit board. The probe wires have tips that probe a device desired for testing. Signals are transmitted through the probe wires from the probe card, for example, through a circuit board to other diagnostic equipment. The contact of the probe card with the circuit board allows signals to be transferred through the probe wires to the other diagnostic equipment. On another side of the probe card is a connector structure. The connector structure includes a retainer that can allow the probe card to be replaced from a test system, such as allowing it to be connected and disconnected from a holder.

Aspects of the present disclosure provide a gimbal assembly test system including: a protective cover affixed to a test surface of a wafer probe card mounted within a gimbal bearing, wherein the protective cover includes an exterior surface oriented outward from the test surface of the wafer probe card; and a recess extending into the exterior surface of the protective cover and shaped to matingly engage a load cell tip therein.

A nontransitory computer-readable program storage medium storing program instructions. The program, when executed by a processor, has the processor capable of receiving a set of input data, the input data relating to devices on a test board for testing a device under test. The program, when executed by a processor, also is capable of transforming the set of input data into test board mapping data. The test board mapping data comprises an ordered listing of potential test points along a path that couples to a conductive surface, wherein the potential test points are derived from at least one of the test board attributes. Further, the program, when executed by a processor, is capable of identifying a selected test point from among the one or more potential test points, the selected test point for spike check probing of the device under test.

A method for utilizing a probe card includes steps as follows. Providing a probe card having three alignment marks on a reference plane of a circuit board; moving the circuit board to be oriented to a wafer-loading plane of a wafer stage with the reference plane; determining whether a geometric plane defined by the alignment marks is parallel to the wafer-loading plane; and when the geometric plane is not parallel to the wafer-loading plane, adjusting a levelness of the circuit board until the reference plane is parallel to the wafer-loading plane.

A testing apparatus with reduced warping of the probe card and a method of reducing warping of a probe card of a testing apparatus are disclosed. The testing apparatus can include a testing head and a platform opposite the testing head, where the testing head and platform move relative to one another to bring a sample into contact with probing tips of the testing apparatus. The testing head can include a probe card printed circuit board, a stiffener, a discontinuous backer and a plurality of probing tips. The stiffener can be coupled to and reinforcing the probe card. The discontinuous backer can extend from the probe card to the stiffener, and can include at least one unfilled void extending from the stiffener to the probe card. The plurality of probing tips can extend from a distal end of the testing head.

A semiconductor integrated circuit test system can include a first semiconductor integrated circuit tester configured to conduct a first test of a first characteristic of one of a plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits, wherein the first test is completed by the first semiconductor integrated circuit tester within a first test time. A second semiconductor integrated circuit tester, can be coupled to the first semiconductor integrated circuit tester, where the second semiconductor integrated circuit tester can be configured to conduct a second test of a second characteristic of each of the plurality of the semiconductor integrated circuits simultaneously, wherein the second test is completed within a second test time that is at least about two orders of magnitude more than the first test time.

A contact inspection device including contacts that contact with a test object for inspection, each contact having a base end portion, a needle tip portion having a needle tip that contacts with the test object, and an elastically deformable portion located between the base end portion and the needle tip portion, with the base end portion and the needle tip portion having axes which coincide with each other. The elastically deformable portion is deformable under a compressive force applied in the axial direction of the needle tip portion while the needle tip is pressed against the test object and converts the compressive force into a tilting motion of the needle tip portion about the needle tip through deformation. The needle tip portion is displaceable in a direction in which the needle tip portion is pivotally tilted while the needle tip is pressed against the test object.

A probe card device and a directivity probe thereof are provided. The directivity probe having an elongated shape includes a conductive pin and a ring-shaped insulator. The conductive pin includes a stroke segment and two end segments respectively extending from the stroke segment. The stroke segment has two broad side surfaces and two narrow side surfaces, and has only one transverse slot that is recessed in one of the two broad side surfaces and that extends from one of the two narrow side surfaces to the other narrow side surface. The transverse groove has a maximum depth that is 1%-10% of a maximum distance between the two broad side surfaces. The stroke segment of the directivity probe can be bent by applying a force to the two end segments, and an inflection point of the bent stroke segment is located in the transverse slot.

An electrical contact assembly that uses an elastomer strip for each row of individual contacts. Each contact comprises a rigid bottom pin and a flexible top pin with a pair of arms which extend over and slide along sloped surfaces of the bottom contact. The elastomer strip is located between rows of the bottom and top pins. A bottom socket housing is provided with grooves which receive each elastomer strip. A row of top pins is then placed over each elastomer strip, and through ducts in the bottom socket housing. Bottom pins are then snapped into place in between the pair of arms.

A probe card management system includes inspection apparatuses that inspect an inspection object and a management apparatus that manages a state of a probe card. Each inspection apparatus includes a camera that captures an image of a tip of each needle provided on the probe card, an inspection part that measures a state of the tip from the image, and inspects the inspection object by bringing the tip into contact with each test pad based on the measurement result, and supplying an electrical signal to the inspection object through the tip; and a transmission part that transmits the measurement result and a number of executions of the inspection to the management apparatus. The management apparatus includes a threshold specification part that specifies a first threshold value, and a notification part that notifies an outside of the number of executions and the first threshold value.