A conductive probe may include a probe body for communicating with a circuit tester or a jumper. The probe body may be formed of metal and may have a free end. A probe tip may be mounted to the end of the probe body. The probe tip may be formed of thorium-tungsten. The probe tip may be configured for contacting a circuit node.

As a semiconductor device is miniaturized, a scribe area on a wafer also tends to decrease. Accordingly, it is necessary to reduce the size of a TEG arranged in the scribe area, and efficiently arrange an electrode pad for probe contact. Therefore, it is necessary to associate probes and the efficient layout of the electrode pad. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a technique for associating probes and the layout of the electrode pads of a TEG so as to facilitate the evaluation of electrical characteristics. According to an evaluation apparatus for a semiconductor device of the present invention, the above described problems can be solved by providing a plurality of probes arranged in a fan shape or probes manufactured by Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology.

A contact probe having a first end portion and a second end portion, a probe body extended along a longitudinal development direction between the first end portion and the second end portion is disclosed. The probe body has a pair of arms separated by a slot and extending according to the longitudinal development direction and a conductive insert extended along the longitudinal development direction, in a bending plane of the contact probe. The conductive insert is made of a first material and the contact probe is made of a second material and the first material has a lower electrical resistivity than an electrical resistivity of the second material. The conductive insert is a power transmission element of the contact probe and the arms are structural support elements of the contact probe during a deformation of the probe body.

A probe head for a testing apparatus integrated on a semiconductor wafer is disclosed having a first plurality of contact probes having a first transversal diameter, a second plurality of micro contact probes having a second transversal diameter, smaller than the first transversal diameter, and a flexible membrane having conductive tracks for connecting a first plurality contact probe with a corresponding second plurality micro contact probe. The second plurality contact probes are arranged between the testing apparatus and the flexible membrane, and the second plurality micro contact probes are arranged between the flexible membrane and a semiconductor wafer. The second plurality micro contact probes are configured to abut onto contact pads of a device under test integrated in the semiconductor wafer, with each first plurality contact probe being in contact with a corresponding second plurality micro contact probe through a conductive track of the flexible membrane to connect the device under test with the testing apparatus.

Provided is a probe card including a lower plate, an upper plate spaced apart from the lower plate, and a needle that extends vertically to penetrate the lower plate and the upper plate, wherein the needle includes a first member that extends vertically and includes a first material, and a second member horizontally connected to the first member, wherein the second member includes a second material different from the first material.

A high-frequency testing probe with a probe substrate and at least two probe tips. The probe substrate is a printed circuit board and the probe tips are coupled to and extend away from the printed circuit board. The first and second probe tips are each communicatively coupled to respective first and second probe connectors through respective first and second conducting traces disposed upon respective first and second sides of the printed circuit board. The probe connectors are configured to couple the testing probe to at least one of a high-frequency vector network analyzer and a high-frequency time domain reflectometer. The positions of the first ends of the first and second probe tips are adjustable. The first and second probe tips may be coupled to the first and second conducting traces through respective first and second joints, and may be configured to rotate about the first and second joints.

A high-frequency testing probe having a probe substrate and at least two probe tips. The probe substrate is a printed circuit board and the probe tips are coupled to and extend outward from the printed circuit board. The first and second probe tips are each communicatively coupled to respective first and second probe connectors through respective first and second conducting traces disposed upon the printed circuit board. The probe connectors are configured to couple the testing probe to at least one of a high-frequency vector network analyzer and a high-frequency time domain reflectometer. The probe tips translate along their respective central longitudinal axes through respective adjustable couplings to modify respective distances the probe tips extend outward from the printed circuit board.

The disclosure relates to a method of fabricating a test socket that supports a probe stretchable in a longitudinal direction. The method of fabricating a test socket includes forming a probe hole for accommodating the probe in a base member made of a conductive material, filling the probe hole with a resin as an insulating material to a predetermined depth from an upper surface of the base member to form a probe support member; and forming a first support hole for supporting one end portion of the probe in the probe support member in the probe hole to expose the one end portion of the probe.

Vertical transmission line probes having alternating capacitive and inductive sections are provided. These alternating sections can be designed to provide a desired transmission line impedance (e.g., between 10 and 100 Ohms, preferably 50 Ohms). Probe flexure in operation is mainly in the inductive sections, advantageously reducing flexure stresses on the dielectrics in the capacitive sections.

An electronic device inspection apparatus of the present application comprises an inspection table for positioning and holding an electrode disposed on a semiconductor device , a contact element that is formed of a shape memory alloy in a long and thin plate shape and has a base part fixed to the inspection table and a variable part formed in a shape of a spiral at a first temperature and being developed from the spiral at a second temperature; and a measurement circuitry for measuring the semiconductor device by conducting a current to flow into the electrode via the contact element. The axis of the spiral of the variable part is parallel to the electrode face of the positioned electrode and a contact region is formed along a longitudinal direction between the variable part and the positioned electrode at the second temperature.