UF 3000

A wafer prober is semiconductor test equipment used to bring a wafer into controlled contact with a probe card so electrical measurements can be made on die before singulation. A wafer prober forms the handling and positioning side of wafer test, while external test electronics supply signals and collect responses. A wafer prober is used in front-end or mid-flow electrical screening where devices are still in wafer form.

A wafer prober has a movable chuck that holds a wafer and moves the wafer into position beneath a probe card mounted on the top deck. A probe array on the underside of the probe card engages bonding pads on one or more die on the wafer. A wafer prober is used with automated test systems for testing integrated circuits in wafer form.^[2]

Wafer probing sits after wafer fabrication has produced electrically testable structures and before wafer dicing and package-level test. Wafer probing is used to screen die, support parametric or functional checks, and separate passing devices from failing devices while the devices remain on the wafer. Wafer probing feeds downstream assembly and final test by providing die-level electrical information early in the manufacturing flow.

Wafer probers are used for electrical testing of integrated circuits and other devices under test while the devices remain in wafer form. Wafer probers support screening for defective devices and verification that circuits respond correctly to applied timing and voltage patterns. Wafer probers can be part of test flows used at several points during manufacturing.^[2]