Abstract: A probe card comprises a connecting board and a conversion board. The connecting board has first terminals on a first surface and second terminals on a second surface. The first terminals are electrically connected to the second terminals via electric wiring. The conversion board, smaller than the connecting board, has third terminals on a third surface and fourth terminals on a fourth surface. The third terminals are electrically connected to the fourth terminals via electric wiring. The fourth terminals on the fourth surface are arranged in an area narrower than that in which the third terminals are arranged on the third surface. The second terminals have resilient terminals, which are resiliently brought into contact with the third terminals.

Abstract: A contact pin for use in a contactor for inspecting electrical characteristics of a to-be-inspected object, comprising a shank having a lower end surface directed to the to-be-inspected object, and a needle end section provided on a portion of the lower end surface. At least part of that portion of the lower end surface, on which the needle end section is not provided, serves as a reflection surface for enabling optical detection of the contact pin.

Abstract: A cleaner of this invention is a cleaner for inspecting projections and removes any substance, e.g., aluminum oxide, which attaches to needle points of probe needles, when the probe needles pierce into the cleaner. The cleaner has a cleaner layer and a substrate. The cleaner layer is constituted by an elastic material layer, and a filler having a surface state improving function of the inspecting projections and dispersed in the elastic material layer. As the filler having a surface state improving function, a powder including at least one of ceramic materials, e.g., sand, glass, alumina, Carborundum (trade name), and the like, or a fiber layer made of an inorganic fiber or organic fiber can be employed.

Abstract: A cleaning mechanism and method for cleaning the probe needles of a probe card used for the inspection of the electric characteristics of a wafer W. This mechanism is provided with a soft cleaner and a brush cleaner. The soft cleaner has a cleaner layer formed of rubber and inorganic filler. The brush cleaner has a number of brush sections, and each brush section is a bundle of fiber members. The fiber members are thinner than the probe needles and have a certain degree of elasticity. The cleaning method includes the steps of: a) cleaning the probe needles using the soft cleaner having a the cleaning layer made of rubber and inorganic filler and b) cleaning the probe needles using the brush cleaner having bristles.