Patent ID: 6961670

Claim:
A probe testing apparatus for testing an end shape of a contact probe brought into pressure contact with a contact pad on an integrated circuit, said apparatus comprising: a detecting unit for detecting a surface shape of at least one of said contact pad and said contact probe as three-dimensional data; an analyzing unit for analyzing the surface shape through imaging; and a determining unitfor determining from the result of the analysis whether said contact probe is acceptable or defective; wherein said apparatus further comprises: a pad scanning unit for scanning the surface shape of said contact pad in surface shape; a part extracting unit for differentiating the read surface shape to extract a multiplicity of flat parts; a reference generating unit for complementing the multiplicity of extracted flat parts to generate a reference shape; a recess detecting unit for subtracting said generated reference shape from the read surface shape to detect a plurality of recesses having a predetermined depth or more; a recess selecting unit for selecting one from the plurality of detected recesses corresponding to reference information; an impression detecting unit for subtracting said reference shape from the read surface shape at the position of the selected recess to detect an impression of said contact probe; a shape detecting unit for detecting at least one of a depth, a position and a shape of the detected impression; and a probe determining unit for determining from at least one of the detected depth, position and shape of the impression whether said contact probe is acceptable or defective.