JP2003347370A - Evaluating equipment and evaluating method of semiconductor wafer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide evaluating equipment and an evaluating method which can evaluate accurately and simply electric characteristic of a semiconductor wafer without causing errors, by precisely bringing a probe into contact with an electrode with an adequate amount of contact. <P>SOLUTION: The evaluating equipment of a semiconductor wafer evaluates electric characteristic of a semiconductor wafer by bringing the probe into contact with the electrode on the semiconductor wafer, and is provided with a contact amount detecting means which includes at least a strain gauge for detecting the amount of contact of the probe and the electrode, and a probe position control means for adjusting the height position of the probe on the basis of the amount of contact of the probe and the electrode which is detected by the contact amount detecting means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a technique for evaluating a semiconductor wafer, and more particularly to a semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus and a semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus for evaluating the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor wafer by bringing a probe into contact with an electrode on the semiconductor wafer. It relates to a wafer evaluation method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, evaluation of electric characteristics of a semiconductor wafer, particularly, oxide film integrity (GOI: Gate Oxide)
Evaluation of Integrity (Metal Oxide Semi) made on a semiconductor wafer
This is performed by applying electric stress to an electrode having a conductor structure and evaluating the oxide film breakdown voltage and the like.
As a method of applying electric stress, a method of applying a voltage by bringing a needle-shaped probe into contact with an electrode having a MOS structure is generally used. For example, in the case of a MOS structure in which an electrode is simply provided on a gate oxide film, after the probe is brought into contact with the electrode, the applied voltage is changed to check the destruction state of the oxide film. ) Can be evaluated.

As an evaluation device using a multi-pin probe, for example, a distance between the probe and a wafer mounted on a stage is detected by a laser measuring device or an optical measuring device, and a camera or the like is used. There is a method in which the probe and the wafer are treated on the same three-dimensional coordinates to adjust the contact amount of the probe by performing positioning in the XY directions.

On the other hand, as a probe, as shown in FIG. 3, a single probe comprising a probe tip portion 22 for contacting an electrode, a probe arm portion 23 for supporting the same, and a cable connection portion 24 for connecting a probe and a cable. When using No. 21, as shown in FIG.
1 is brought into contact with the electrode 26 having a MOS structure formed on the insulating film 27 to evaluate the semiconductor wafer. However,
Thus, even if a force is applied vertically downward so as to lower the probe 21 by a predetermined amount and the probe 21 is brought into contact with the electrode 26, the probe tip 22 is deformed and bent like the probe tip 25, Actually, the probe tip 22 may not be able to be lowered to a predetermined amount. for that reason,
After the probe tip comes into contact with the electrode, an overdrive amount for pushing the probe vertically downward from the position of contact with the electrode is set to ensure that the probe is brought into contact with the electrode.

Conventionally, in order to set the overdrive amount, before evaluating a semiconductor wafer, first, a probe is brought into contact with an electrode, and the position where the probe and the electrode are brought into contact is observed with a microscope from above, and a probe mark is formed. In addition, the probe and the electrode are brought into contact with each other by changing the overdrive amount, and the degree of the contact amount is confirmed by the probe mark remaining on the electrode, thereby optimizing the overdrive amount, that is, the contact amount.

However, it is difficult to confirm the contact between the probe and the electrode by such a microscope observation from above, and it is difficult to adjust the contact amount between the probe and the electrode when the probe is brought into contact with the electrode. Skill was required.

For example, there is a defect in the adjustment of the contact amount between the probe and the electrode, and the contact amount between the probe and the electrode for measuring the oxide film breakdown voltage increases. A mechanical strain is applied to the film (oxide film), and the electrode or both the electrode and the oxide film may be destroyed. As a result, an error occurs in the evaluation of the semiconductor wafer. Conversely, if the amount of contact between the probe and the electrode is small and the pressure applied from the probe to the electrode is too weak, the probe and the electrode will be insufficiently contacted, making measurement impossible, and again causing an error in the evaluation of the semiconductor wafer. There was a problem.

Therefore, when a semiconductor wafer is evaluated using a multi-pin probe device, a mirror for checking the contact between the probe and the electrode from the side is attached, or the distance between the probe and the wafer in the height direction is measured. By installing a laser measuring device or optical measuring device for
Adjustments are made so that the probe contacts the electrode with an appropriate amount of contact.

However, when a semiconductor wafer is evaluated using a single probe as shown in FIG. 3 as a probe, a large-scale remodeling is required to mount the above-mentioned mirror, laser measuring device, and the like. . Further, in some evaluation devices, remodeling is often impossible due to space limitations in the device, and it has been difficult to evaluate a semiconductor wafer by bringing a probe into contact with an electrode with an appropriate contact amount.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a probe which is capable of contacting an electrode with an appropriate amount of contact with high precision to obtain electrical characteristics of a semiconductor wafer. It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus and an evaluation method capable of accurately and easily evaluating the semiconductor wafer without causing an error.

[0011]

According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for evaluating a semiconductor wafer, wherein a probe is brought into contact with an electrode on the semiconductor wafer to evaluate an electrical characteristic of the semiconductor wafer. At least, a contact amount detecting means incorporating a strain gauge for detecting a contact amount between the probe and the electrode, and a height position of the probe based on the contact amount between the probe and the electrode detected by the contact amount detecting means. An apparatus for evaluating a semiconductor wafer, comprising a probe position control means for adjusting, is provided.

As described above, a semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus having at least a contact amount detecting means incorporating a strain gauge and a probe position control means for adjusting a height position of a probe based on the detected contact amount between the probe and the electrode. Then, by the contact amount detecting means with a built-in strain gauge,
From the change in the output value of the strain gauge when the probe is brought into contact with the electrode, the contact amount between the probe and the electrode can be detected, and the probe position control means can be used to detect the probe based on the detected contact amount between the probe and the electrode. The height position of the device can be adjusted. Therefore, since the probe can be accurately contacted with the electrode with an appropriate contact amount, the semiconductor wafer evaluation device can accurately and simply evaluate the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor wafer without causing an error. .

At this time, the contact amount detecting means has a columnar shape and is vertically attached to the probe, and the lower surface of the columnar body has the same height as the tip of the probe. Preferred (claim 2).

As described above, the contact amount detecting means has the shape of a column, is vertically attached to the probe, and the lower surface of the column has the same height as the tip of the probe. If any, when the probe tip touches the electrode,
At the same time, the strain gauge built in the contact amount detecting means is deformed according to the contact amount between the probe and the electrode, so that the contact amount between the probe and the electrode can be accurately detected.

Further, it is preferable that the semiconductor wafer evaluation device has a storage means. As described above, if the semiconductor wafer evaluation device has a storage unit, the correlation between the output value of the strain gauge and the contact amount between the probe and the electrode can be stored in the storage unit in advance, and the probe and the electrode can be stored. Can be automatically detected in the evaluation device. Further, since the semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus of the present invention has the storage means as described above, when the evaluation of the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor wafer is repeatedly performed at least twice on the same wafer, 1
After performing the second evaluation by adjusting the height position of the probe based on the contact amount between the probe and the electrode, the adjusted height position of the probe can be stored in the storage means. When performing the second and subsequent evaluations, the height position of the probe can be adjusted based on the height position of the probe adjusted in the first evaluation, and the evaluation of the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor wafer can be easily performed. It can be performed repeatedly.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor wafer evaluation method for evaluating an electric characteristic of a semiconductor wafer by bringing a probe into contact with an electrode on the semiconductor wafer,
When the probe is brought into contact with the electrode, a contact amount between the probe and the electrode is detected by using a contact amount detecting means having a built-in strain gauge attached to the probe, and the probe is detected based on the detected contact amount between the probe and the electrode. The semiconductor wafer evaluation method is characterized by evaluating the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor wafer by adjusting the height position of the semiconductor wafer (claim 4).

As described above, when the probe is brought into contact with the electrode, the contact amount between the probe and the electrode is detected by using the contact amount detecting means having a built-in strain gauge attached to the probe, and based on the detected contact amount. By adjusting the height position of the probe to evaluate the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor wafer, the probe can be accurately contacted with the electrode with an appropriate contact amount, so that the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor wafer do not cause errors. The evaluation can be performed accurately and easily, and the reliability of the evaluation of the semiconductor wafer can be improved.

At this time, the contact amount between the probe and the electrode is detected by measuring the output value of a strain gauge built in the contact amount detecting means and measuring the output value of the strain gauge previously obtained from the output value of the strain gauge. It is preferable to perform the measurement based on the correlation between the output value and the contact amount between the probe and the electrode (claim 5).

As described above, the amount of contact between the probe and the electrode is detected by measuring the output value of the strain gauge built in the contact amount detecting means, and determining the output of the strain gauge from the output value of the strain gauge. Based on the correlation between the value and the contact amount between the probe and the electrode, the contact amount between the probe and the electrode can be accurately detected.

Further, when the evaluation of the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor wafer is repeatedly performed at least twice on the same wafer, the first evaluation is performed by detecting the contact amount between the probe and the electrode, and determining the contact between the probe and the detected probe. Evaluation is performed by adjusting the height position of the probe based on the contact amount of the electrode, and in the second and subsequent evaluations, the height position of the probe is adjusted based on the height position of the probe adjusted in the first evaluation. It is preferable to carry out the evaluation (claim 6).

As described above, when the evaluation of the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor wafer is repeatedly performed at least twice on the same wafer, in the first evaluation, the contact amount between the probe and the electrode is detected, and the probe By adjusting the height position and performing the second and subsequent evaluations by adjusting the height position of the probe based on the height position of the probe adjusted in the first evaluation, the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor wafer are evaluated. Can be easily and quickly repeated with high accuracy.

[0022]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The present inventors have used a strain gauge to accurately detect the amount of contact between the probe and the electrode to accurately and easily evaluate the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor wafer using the probe without causing errors. The present inventors have found that the probe can be brought into contact with the electrode with an appropriate contact amount by adjusting the height position of the probe based on the above, and the present inventors have completed the present invention by intensive studies.

First, an example of an apparatus for evaluating a semiconductor wafer according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG.
1 shows a schematic explanatory view of a semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, a semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus 1 of the present invention comprises a single type probe 2 and
Contact amount detecting means 7 incorporating a strain gauge (not shown) for detecting the contact amount between the probe and the electrode, and probe position control for adjusting the height position of the probe 2 based on the detected contact amount between the probe and the electrode. It comprises means 10 and a computer 11 having storage means.

The probe 2 is composed of a tip 4 having an inclined tip and having a sharpened tip for making contact with an electrode or the like, an arm 3 supporting the tip 4, and a cable connecting portion 6 for connecting a cable.

The contact amount detecting means 7 has a columnar shape, and has a built-in strain gauge (not shown). The contact amount detecting means 7 is provided on the arm 3 of the probe 2.
And the height of the lower surface of the columnar body is adjusted to be the same height as the tip of the tip 4 of the probe 2. At this time, in order to make the contact amount detecting means 7 uniformly contact the semiconductor wafer, the lower surface of the columnar body is preferably parallel to the surface of the semiconductor wafer to be evaluated.

At this time, the contact amount detecting means 7 is
The fixing method is not particularly limited. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a mounting portion 8 is provided on the arm portion 3, and a hole is formed through the mounting portion 8 and the contact amount detecting means 7. Or when the probe is manufactured, the arm 3 and the contact amount detecting means 7 may be fixed.
May be manufactured so as to be integrated.

The cable connection section 6 is connected to the computer 11 via a current / voltage measurement tester 13 via a cable 12, and measures the current and voltage applied to the electrodes with the current / voltage measurement tester 13. Data can be stored in the storage means. The contact amount detecting means 7 is connected to the computer 11 via a tester 15 by a cable 14, and measures the output value of a strain gauge built in the contact amount detecting means 7 with the tester 15 and stores the measured value in the computer 11. The data can be stored in the means.

The probe position control means 10 holds the probe 2 and is connected to the computer 11 on the other hand, and can adjust the height position of the probe 2 based on the detected contact amount between the probe and the electrode.

Next, a method of evaluating the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor wafer using the above-described semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. First, as shown in FIG. 2A, using the probe position control means 10, the contact amount detection means 7 lowers the probe 2 attached to the arm 3, and places the probe tip 4 on the insulating film 17. To the electrode 16. At this time, the lower surface of the contact amount detecting means 7 has not actually reached the surface of the insulating film 17 by the thickness of the electrode 16. However, usually
The thickness of the electrode 16 formed on the insulating film 17 is about 0.3 μm. On the other hand, in order to accurately evaluate the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor wafer, as shown in FIG. It is necessary to take into account the bending of the tip 5 caused by the probe, and after the probe tip 4 comes into contact with the electrode 16, the probe is further moved by about 50 μm, that is, the thickness of the electrode 1
It is necessary to lower by more than 00 times. Therefore, the thickness of the electrode as described above can be almost ignored when adjusting the height position between the probe and the columnar body containing the strain gauge.

As described above, the probe tip 4 is connected to the electrode 16.
(FIG. 2A), and by further lowering the probe 2 in the vertical direction, the bent distal end portion 5 of the probe 2 can be brought into contact with the electrode 16 with a certain amount of contact (FIG. 2). (B)). At this time, the contact amount between the probe 2 and the electrode 16 can be detected by using the contact amount detecting means 7 having a built-in strain gauge. The contact amount between the probe and the electrode is detected by measuring the output value of a strain gauge built in the contact amount detecting means 7 and determining the output value of the strain gauge and the probe and the electrode determined in advance from the output value of the strain gauge. Can be performed based on the correlation with the contact amount.

That is, by lowering the probe after the probe tip comes into contact with the electrode as described above, the contact amount between the probe and the electrode increases, and the contact amount detecting means according to the descending amount of the probe. Is deformed, and the resistance value of the strain gauge changes according to the magnitude of the deformation of the strain gauge.

The amount of change in the resistance value of the strain gauge can be obtained from the output value of the strain gauge. For example,
By connecting a constant voltage power supply to the strain gauge and measuring the current as the output value of the strain gauge with a tester, the change in the resistance value of the strain gauge can be easily measured from the change in the current value. By connecting a constant current power supply to the gauge and measuring the voltage as the output value of the strain gauge, the amount of change in the resistance value can also be measured.
Further, as an output value of the strain gauge, a resistance value may be calculated by measuring a current and a voltage of the strain gauge, and a change amount of the resistance value may be directly output.

Since the output value of such a strain gauge has a correlation with the amount of contact between the probe and the electrode, by obtaining these correlations in advance, the output value of the strain gauge can be calculated from the measured output value. The contact amount between the probe and the electrode can be accurately detected based on the correlation between the output value of the strain gauge and the contact amount between the probe and the electrode. Furthermore, if the correlation between the output value of the strain gauge and the amount of descending probe is determined, the amount of descending of the probe after the probe is brought into contact with the electrode can be detected from the output value of the strain gauge. The height position of the probe when contacting the electrode with the amount of contact can be accurately obtained.

At this time, the correlation between the output value of the strain gauge and the contact amount between the probe and the electrode, and the correlation between the output value of the strain gauge and the descending amount of the probe are stored in the storage means in the computer. This makes it possible to automatically detect the contact amount between the probe and the electrode and the descending amount of the probe in the evaluation device. Further, the contact amount between the probe and the electrode and the descending amount of the probe detected in this way can be sequentially stored in a storage unit in the computer.

Thereafter, by adjusting the height position of the probe by the probe position control means based on the detected contact amount between the probe and the electrode, the probe can be surely brought into contact with the electrode with the optimal contact amount. Therefore, as in the conventional case, the breakdown of the electrode and the insulating film caused by too much contact and the inability to measure due to insufficient contact are not caused, so that the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor wafer can be accurately measured without errors. Can be evaluated, and the reliability of the evaluation of the semiconductor wafer can be improved.

Further, when the height position of the probe is adjusted by the probe position control means as described above, the height position of the probe is adjusted in consideration of the amount of probe descent detected from the output value of the strain gauge. The height position of the probe can be controlled with higher accuracy. Therefore, the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor wafer can be evaluated with higher accuracy.

When the evaluation of the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor wafer is repeatedly performed at least twice on the same wafer, the first evaluation is to detect the contact amount between the probe and the electrode, and to detect the detected probe and electrode. The height position of the probe is adjusted based on the amount of contact, and evaluation is performed. For the second and subsequent evaluations, the height position of the probe is adjusted based on the height position of the probe adjusted in the first evaluation. Can be done.

That is, when the evaluation of the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor wafer is repeatedly performed at least twice or more on the same wafer (for example, measurement of several hundred to several thousand points may be required), As described above, the amount of contact between the probe and the electrode is detected, and the height position of the probe is adjusted based on the detected amount of contact between the probe and the electrode to evaluate the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor wafer. Subsequently, in the second and subsequent evaluations, instead of adjusting the height position of the probe based on the contact amount between the probe and the electrode as in the first evaluation, one evaluation is performed.
The height position of the probe adjusted in the first evaluation is stored in the storage means, and the height position of the second and subsequent probes is set to 1 based on the height position of the probe in the first evaluation.
The electrical characteristics are evaluated by adjusting so as to be at the same height position (same probe lowering amount) as that at the time of the second evaluation. As described above, by adjusting the probe based on the height position of the probe at the time of the first evaluation and performing the evaluation after the second time, all the electrodes formed on the semiconductor wafer at the same height position of the probe can be obtained. Therefore, the evaluation of the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor wafer can be easily and repeatedly performed with a significantly reduced time.

[0040]

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. (Example) A silicon wafer having a diameter of 200 mm was prepared as a sample, and this silicon wafer was subjected to a thermal oxidation treatment to form a gate oxide film having a thickness of 25 nm. Thereafter, on the gate oxide film, 200 electrodes having the same thickness and a MOS structure using polycrystalline silicon as an electrode were formed. This MOS
The electrical characteristics of the silicon wafer on which the electrode having the structure was manufactured were evaluated using the semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus of the present invention shown in FIG.

First, a silicon wafer was aligned and fixed in a semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus. Subsequently, the probe tip was brought into contact with one electrode formed on the gate oxide film using the probe position control means. At this time,
A constant voltage power supply is connected to the strain gauge built into the contact amount detection means, the probe is lowered while measuring the current as the output value of the strain gauge, and the position where the output value of the strain gauge first shows a change is the origin. And Then, based on the correlation between the output value of the strain gauge and the contact amount between the probe and the electrode, which has been stored in advance in the storage means of the computer, the height position of the probe is adjusted by the probe position control means, and the contact amount is adjusted. The probe was stopped at a height position at which was optimal, and GOI evaluation was performed. In addition, as a result of detecting the height position of the probe at this time from the output value of the strain gauge based on the correlation with the amount of descending of the probe, 4
It was detected that the position was lowered by 3 μm, and the height position of this probe was stored in the storage means.

After that, the 20 wafers formed on the silicon wafer
For 100 of the 0 electrodes, the height position of the probe is determined based on the amount of contact detected from the correlation between the output value of the strain gauge and the amount of contact between the probe and the electrode as described above. GOI adjusted by control means
An evaluation was performed. Further, the remaining 100 electrodes were adjusted by the probe position control means so that the probe stopped at the height position of the probe adjusted in the first evaluation, that is, at a position 43 μm lower than the origin, and similarly GO
An I evaluation was performed.

As a result, GOI evaluation could be accurately performed for all 200 electrodes manufactured on the silicon wafer. Further, after the evaluation was completed, when the probe traces existing on the surfaces of the 200 electrodes were observed with a microscope, it was confirmed that there was no electrode destruction due to the probe contact.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The embodiment described above is merely an example, and has substantially the same configuration as the technical idea described in the claims of the present invention, and has the same function and effect,
Anything is included in the technical scope of the present invention.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, a case where the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor wafer are evaluated using a single probe as a probe is described as an example.
The present invention is not limited to this, and can be similarly applied to the case where the electrical characteristics are evaluated by using a multi-pin probe.

[0046]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the contact amount between the probe and the electrode can be accurately detected by the contact amount detecting means, the probe can be accurately brought into contact with the electrode with an appropriate contact amount. Therefore,
Since the destruction of the electrode due to contact can be prevented, the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor wafer can be accurately and simply evaluated without causing an error, and the reliability and efficiency of the evaluation of the semiconductor wafer can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view showing an example of a semiconductor wafer evaluation device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory sectional view showing a state when a probe is brought into contact with an electrode.

FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory view showing a conventional probe.

FIG. 4 is a sectional explanatory view showing a state when a conventional single probe is brought into contact with an electrode.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Evaluation device for semiconductor wafer, 2 ... Probe, 3 ...
Arm part, 4 ... tip part, 5 ... bent tip part, 6 ... cable connection part, 7 ... contact amount detecting means, 8 ... mounting part, 9 ... pin, 10 ... probe position control means, 11 ...
Computer, 12: Cable, 13: Current / voltage measurement tester, 14: Cable, 15: Tester, 16 ...
Electrodes, 17: insulating film, 21: probe, 22: probe tip, 23: arm, 24: cable connection, 25: bent probe tip, 26: electrode, 27
... insulating film.

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Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus for evaluating an electrical characteristic of a semiconductor wafer by bringing a probe into contact with an electrode on the semiconductor wafer, wherein at least a strain gauge for detecting a contact amount between the probe and the electrode. A semiconductor wafer evaluation device, comprising: a contact amount detecting means incorporating a probe; and a probe position control means for adjusting a height position of the probe based on a contact amount between the probe and the electrode detected by the contact amount detecting means. . 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the contact amount detecting means has a columnar shape, and is vertically attached to the probe, and a lower surface of the columnar body has the same height as a tip of the probe. The apparatus for evaluating a semiconductor wafer according to claim 1. 3. The semiconductor wafer evaluation device according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit.
2. The semiconductor wafer evaluation device according to 1. 4. A method for evaluating a semiconductor wafer in which a probe is brought into contact with an electrode on a semiconductor wafer to evaluate an electric characteristic of the semiconductor wafer, wherein a strain attached to the probe when the probe is brought into contact with the electrode. The contact amount between the probe and the electrode is detected using the contact amount detecting means having a built-in gauge, and the height position of the probe is adjusted based on the detected contact amount between the probe and the electrode to evaluate the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor wafer. A method for evaluating a semiconductor wafer, comprising: 5. The method of detecting the amount of contact between the probe and the electrode,
The output value of the strain gauge incorporated in the contact amount detecting means is measured, and the measurement is performed based on the correlation between the output value of the strain gauge and the contact amount between the probe and the electrode, which is obtained in advance from the output value of the strain gauge. The method for evaluating a semiconductor wafer according to claim 4, wherein: 6. When the evaluation of the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor wafer is repeated at least twice on the same wafer, the first evaluation is performed by detecting a contact amount between the probe and the electrode, and determining the contact amount between the probe and the detected probe. Evaluation is performed by adjusting the height position of the probe based on the contact amount of the electrode, and in the second and subsequent evaluations, the height position of the probe is adjusted based on the height position of the probe adjusted in the first evaluation. The method for evaluating a semiconductor wafer according to claim 4, wherein the evaluation is performed.