Abstract: Techniques for testing both a rectangular substrate and a circular substrate are provided. One aspect of the present disclosure pertains to a test device comprising an exchangeable change kit, wherein the change kit comprises a first holding device and a second holding device which are exchangeably mounted in the test device, wherein the first holding device is configured to adsorb and hold a rectangular substrate, wherein the second holding device is configured to adsorb and hold a circular substrate, and wherein the first holding device and the second holding device are exchanged according to a substrate to be tested.

Abstract: A probe card transporting apparatus includes a truck and transporting mechanism. The truck can move on a floor surface freely. The transporting mechanism is arranged above the truck to be able to separate from and come into contact with it. The transporting mechanism transports a probe card between the truck and a prober. The transporting mechanism has a base and arm mechanism. The arm mechanism moves forward/backward on the base. An aligning mechanism and fixing mechanism are provided on the base. The aligning mechanism serves for alignment with the prober. The fixing mechanism serves for fixing to the prober.

Abstract: A probe card transporting apparatus includes a truck and transporting mechanism. The truck can move on a floor surface freely. The transporting mechanism is arranged above the truck to be able to separate from and come into contact with it. The transporting mechanism transports a probe card between the truck and a prober. The transporting mechanism has a base and arm mechanism. The arm mechanism moves forward/backward on the base. An aligning mechanism and fixing mechanism are provided on the base. The aligning mechanism serves for alignment with the prober. The fixing mechanism serves for fixing to the prober.

Abstract: A probe card transporting apparatus includes a truck and transporting mechanism. The truck can move on a floor surface freely. The transporting mechanism is arranged above the truck to be able to separate from and come into contact with it. The transporting mechanism transports a probe card between the truck and a prober. The transporting mechanism has a base and arm mechanism. The arm mechanism moves forward/backward on the base. An aligning mechanism and fixing mechanism are provided on the base. The aligning mechanism serves for alignment with the prober. The fixing mechanism serves for fixing to the prober.

Abstract: A probe card transporting apparatus includes a truck and transporting mechanism. The truck can move on a floor surface freely. The transporting mechanism is arranged above the truck to be able to separate from and come into contact with it. The transporting mechanism transports a probe card between the truck and a prober. The transporting mechanism has a base and arm mechanism. The arm mechanism moves forward/backward on the base. An aligning mechanism and fixing mechanism are provided on the base. The aligning mechanism serves for alignment with the prober. The fixing mechanism serves for fixing to the prober.

Abstract: A probe system according to the present invention includes a probe unit and a loader unit which are adjacent to each other. The probe unit has a case defining a prober chamber for receiving an object to be tested, and a contact probe for testing the object received into the prober chamber. The loader unit has a case defining a loader chamber partially communicated with the prober chamber, and a carrying mechanism for carrying the object between the prober chamber and the loader chamber. In the loader unit, a main shielding cover for covering the carrying mechanism in the loader chamber is provided. The probe system is provided with means for supplying dry air into the interior of the main shielding cover of the loader unit and the prober chamber.

Abstract: A probe system according to the present invention includes a probe unit and a loader unit which are adjacent to each other. The probe unit has a case defining a prober chamber for receiving an object to be tested, and a contact probe for testing the object received into the prober chamber. The loader unit has a case defining a loader chamber partially communicated with the prober chamber, and a carrying mechanism for carrying the object between the prober chamber and the loader chamber. In the loader unit, a main shielding cover for covering the carrying mechanism in the loader chamber is provided. The probe system is provided with means for supplying dry air into the interior of the main shielding cover of the loader unit and the prober chamber.

Abstract: In the embodiment of this invention, a probe apparatus includes a loader chamber having fork for conveying the wafer, a prober chamber arranged next to the loader chamber and having a main chuck movable in the X, Y, Z, and &thgr; directions, a partition for separating the prober chamber from the loader chamber, and a door for opening/closing the loading/unloading port of the wafer, which is formed in the partition. This probe apparatus inspects the electrical characteristics of the wafer while supplying dry air at a temperature at which moisture condensation does not occur into the prober chamber to cool the wafer through the main chuck. A heated gas spray unit sprays a heated gas onto the wafer which is moving from the prober chamber to the loader chamber through a loading/unloading port, thereby heating the wafer to a temperature higher than room temperature.

Abstract: A low-temperature wafer testing method and a prober therefor are disclosed. The prober includes a main chuck equipped to cool an object to be tested to a low temperature, a prober chamber, a probe card with probes, a ring-like member for supporting the probe card, and a plate provided for the ring-like member on an outer side of the probe card. The wafer placed on the main chuck is cooled initially. Then, dry gas which does not condense at the cooled temperature is supplied to a prober chamber. Gas in a space, defined by the ring-like member between the probe card and the plate, is replaced with the dry gas. With replacement by the dry gas, even if the gas in the space leaks into the prober chamber during a low-temperature test, condensing or icing on the wafer can be prevented.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the electron temperature of plasma includes a first probe which is inserted in the plasma to detect the floating potential. Two sequentially generated pulses of distinct voltages are added to the detected floating potential and these summed voltages are then sequentially applied to the plasma via a second probe. The current in the second probe is detected and the electron temperature is then calculated from the values of the voltage pulses and the currents detected by the second probe.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting contamination on probe surface which comprises a sweep voltage generator for generating sweep voltage which is applied to a probe or probes in plasma, a probe current detection circuit for detecting probe current which flows in accordance with the sweep voltage applied, an amplitude discriminator for comparing the probe current with a predetermined threshold and generating an output signal when the probe current becomes equal to the predetermined threshold, a first sample-hold circuit for sampling and holding the sweep voltage upon reception of the output signal from the amplitude discriminator while the sweep voltage is increasing, a second sample-hold circuit for sampling and holding the sweep voltage upon reception of the output signal from the amplitude discriminator while the sweep voltage is decreasing, and a subtracter for providing a difference between the sweep voltages holded in the first and second sample-hold circuit.

Abstract: A temperature-measuring apparatus which comprises a first series circuit formed of first and second resistor elements connected between first and second power supply terminals; a second series circuit including a third resistor element connected to the first power supply terminal, a thermosensitive resistor which is connected to the second power supply terminal and whose resistance varies with temperature, a standard resistor having an equal resistance to that which the thermo-sensitive resistor indicates at a referential temperature, and a switching element for connecting the third resistor element selectively to the thermo-sensitive resistor or standard resistor; and analog-digital converter which is impressed with voltage occurring between the junction of the first and second resistor elements and the junction of the third resistor and thermo-sensitive resistor or standard resistor and makes counts corresponding to the measured resistance of the thermo-sensitive resistor and that of the standard resistor;

Abstract: Disclosed is an analog-to-digital converter comprising an analog switch for selecting one of analog input voltage, and first and second different reference potentials; an integrator including at least one integration resistor to which is applied the output of said analog switch, a D.C. amplifier having an inversion input terminal to which is applied the output of said analog switch through said integration resistor and a non-inversion input terminal to which is applied a potential equal to an intermediate value between said first and second reference potentials, and an integration capacitor connected between the output terminal of said D.C. amplifier and said inversion input terminal; an analog comparator having one input terminal connected to the output terminal of the D.C.

Abstract: An analog-digital converter which comprises first and second signal input terminals selectively supplied with any of an input analog voltage and first and second reference voltages having the same polarity as said input analog voltage but different levels from each other; an integration circuit consisting of first and second integration resistors having substantially the same value of resistance and connected to the corresponding first and second input terminals, a D.C. amplifier provided with an inversion input terminal selectively connected to the first and second integration resistors and a noninversion input terminal impressed with a voltage whose level lies intermediate between those of the first and second reference voltages, and an integration capacitor connected between the output terminal of the D.C. amplifier and inversion input terminal; an analog comparator, one input terminal of which is connected to the output terminal of the D.C.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording information on a film comprising a recording head selectively excited by an electrical control signal to give forth light information bearing a prescribed pattern as a whole from a light-emitting surface and an X-ray or light shield, said recording head and shield are so disposed as to face both sides of the film whereby the sensitization of the film by X-ray or light emitted from one side of the film is partly obstructed by the shield, and information is recorded on said obstructed portion of the surface of the flim by the recording head.