Abstract: A probe apparatus especially useful in probing circuit boards used in electronic equipment. Two beam support members of unequal length and in a spaced relationship to a work object having the longer beam between the shorter beam and the work-object, the two beams being attached to a moveable support at joints substantially displaced in the direction of the beams' lengths, the other end of the two beams being attached to the probe support members at joints that follow the arcs of rotation required to cause the probe tip to pass through three points of a straight line travel of the probe tip during z-axis flexing, thus maintaining the position of the probe tip in the x-y plane during z-axis flexing. The resulting motion is a rotation of the end opposite the probe tip, in the x-z plane, pivoting at the initial contact point of the probe tip, thus avoiding an x-y plane "wiping" of the probe over the contact area which may damage the work object being probed.

Abstract: A thin film bar resistor comprises: an insulative substrate, a pair of conductive thin film resistor terminals spaced apart on the substrate, an approximately square thin film resistance body disposed on the substrate between the terminals to be separated from them by guard margins, the body consisting of lower and upper layers of unanodized and anodized tantalum nitride, thin film regions of unanodized tantalum nitride in the guard margins to connect such body to the terminals, and thin film conductive leads connected to the terminals.