Patent ID: 8013621

Claim:
An inspection method for inspecting electrical characteristics of a target object by bringing electrode pads of the target object placed on a mounting table in electrical contact with probes of a probe card arranged above the mounting table, the method comprising: a process of correcting contact positions between the electrode pads and the probes in preparation for a present inspection, using needle traces of the probes that are formed on the electrode pads, respectively, in a previous inspection, wherein the process of correcting contact positions between the electrode pads and the probes in preparation for the present inspection comprising: a first step of obtaining a first image by photographing the electrode pads to detect the needle trace formed on each of the electrode pads; a second step of obtaining an amount of positional deviation between the center of each of the electrode pads and the center of gravity of each of the needle traces on the electrode pads by using the first image; a third step of correcting contact positions of the probes used for the present inspection with the electrode pads to the centers of the electrode pads, respectively, by using the positions of the needle traces and the amount of positional deviation thereof; a fourth step of bringing the probes that are used for the present inspection in contact with the electrode pads after the correction in the third step to form a new needle trace on each of the electrode pads; a fifth step of obtaining a second image by photographing the electrode pads on which the new needle traces are respectively formed; and a sixth step of obtaining a contactable region for each of the probes in each of the electrode pads, based on size of the electrode pads and center of gravity of the new needle trace formed on each of the electrode pads.