Method of identifying probe position and probing method in prober

Claim 1

In a prober comprising a probe card having a plurality of probes, a card mounting portion for mounting said probe card, a work table on which a test target is placed opposite to said card mounting portion, said work table being movable within X-Y coordinates, optical detection means attached to said work table and having a view with a reference point, a controller for controlling a movement of said work table, and a tester connected to said probes, a method of probing said test target, comprising the steps of: providing an optically recognizable marker on one surface of said probe card that faces said work table; storing in said controller a relative position of a distal end of one reference probe included in said plurality of probes relative to said first reference marker; mounting said probe card to said card mounting portion; optically detecting a position of said first reference marker provided on said probe card mounted on said card mounting portion; moving said work table by said controller by referring to the relative position, and causing the distal end of said reference probe to fall within the view of said detection means; moving said work table complementarily such that the distal end of said reference probe aligns with the first reference point of the view of said detection means; calculating X-Y correction data about the relative position from the amount of complementary movement of said work table by said controller, and storing the X-Y correction data in said controller; placing said test target on said work table; driving said work table through said controller by referring to said X-Y correction data, and bringing said probes into contact with said test target; and sending a test signal from said tester to said test target through said probes, and examining electrical characteristics of said test target by said tester in accordance with a response signal sent back from said test target.