EAD 695 +

Machines of this class provide controlled electrical contact between a test instrument and a wafer, die, or other semiconductor target. They are used to position probes accurately on microscopic contact points so that electrical characteristics can be checked without permanently packaging the device.

Test and probe systems are part of the inspection and verification toolset used in mature-node semiconductor production and related device development. They support the identification of functional dies, characterization of electrical behavior, and confirmation that process steps have produced the expected circuit response.

A machine of this class typically combines a precision positioning platform with one or more probe assemblies and measurement interfaces. The target is aligned to the probes, contact is made to predefined pads or structures, and electrical signals are passed through the probes to external test equipment or integrated measurement electronics.

The class relies on accurate mechanical placement, stable contact force, and repeatable alignment so that measurements can be taken with minimal disturbance to the device under test. Such systems may use vision assistance, automated motion, and programmed test routines to move from one site to another while maintaining contact integrity.

This class generally sits between front-end wafer processing and later assembly or final device qualification. It is used after electrical structures or devices have been formed and before resources are committed to downstream packaging or integration steps.

Such machines are used for wafer probing, parametric testing, device characterization, die sort support, and process monitoring. They are also used to verify continuity, leakage behavior, threshold response, and other electrical properties of semiconductor structures.