Abstract: A probe apparatus for measuring electrical characteristics of chips arranged on a wafer comprises a probe card having probe needles and a rotary chuck for supporting the wafer. The chuck is supported on an XY stage. A stationary alignment bridge is provided with a stationary camera and a capacitance sensor. The stage is provided with a movable camera. A transparent plate on which a target is formed is attached to the chuck. The target and its peripheral portion are formed of transparent thin films. The target is used for positioning and focusing of the cameras. The thin films are used for height detection by use of the capacitance sensor.

Abstract: In a method of inspecting the electric characteristics of wafers, detecting for second and subsequent alignment operations of probe cards is automatically executed. In an apparatus for inspecting the electric characteristics of wafer, different types of wafers can be continuously inspected using the same probe card on the basis of prestored alignment data of each type of wafers.

Abstract: A method of positioning a wafer when plural chips arranged on the semiconductor wafer are to be measured by a probe apparatus. The direction in which probes of the probe apparatus are set is measured via a dummy wafer and stored as data. The positioning of the wafer can be achieved by the operation of a table on which the wafer is mounted. When the wafer is to be positioned, the chips-lined direction on the wafer is rotated to align with the moving coordinates of the table and then with the probes-set direction. A probing direction in which wafers are successively moved and a reference position on the wafer are determined, and this reference position is aligned with the position of the probes. Measurement is carried out relative to every position of the chips calculated from the reference position, while moving the table along the probing direction.