Patent ID: 7694246

Claim:
An apparatus for holding devices to be tested comprising: a plurality of probes disposed in a first pattern and attached to a substrate; and a carrier for supporting a plurality of singulated semiconductor dies, the carrier being a distinct and different structure than the dies and including a plurality of landmarks, wherein while the dies are disposed on the carrier in predefined orientations with respect to the landmarks, terminals of the dies are disposed in a second pattern that is generally the same as the first pattern, wherein: the probes are organized into probe groups each comprising a sufficient number of probes disposed in a layout to contact at least some of the terminals of one of the dies, and while the dies are disposed on the carrier in the predefined orientations and the substrate is aligned with the carrier, the at least some of the terminals of each of the dies align sufficiently with the probes of one of the probe groups for the probes of the one of the probe groups to contact directly the at least some of the terminals of the die.