Abstract: A method for electrically testing an electrical circuit formed upon a substrate, and an apparatus employed within the method for electrically testing the electrical circuit formed upon the substrate. To practice the method, there is first provided a substrate having an electrical circuit formed thereupon. The substrate also has a conductor contact formed thereupon accessing the electrical circuit. The substrate is positioned within an electrical test apparatus, where the electrical test apparatus has a conductive probe tip fixed to the electrical test apparatus. The conductive probe tip is positioned in the proximity of but not in contact with the conductor contact. The conductive probe tip is then repositioned with respect to the substrate such that the conductive probe tip contacts the conductor contact while simultaneously purging the surface of the conductor contact with a purge gas stream.