JP2005351807A - Probe card, and control method for probe card - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a probe card of low control cost for determining a life of a probe needle tip part, and a control method therefor. <P>SOLUTION: This invention provides a probe card attached with a monitoring needle having a tip in a position higher than that of a tip of a probe needle, and provides a probe card control method for detecting that a height difference between the tip of the probe needle and a tip of the monitoring needle comes to a prescribed limit value or less, under the condition where the probe card is attached to a prober, and for determining that the probe needle reaches the life thereof at a detection point therein. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a probe card having probe needles and a management method thereof.

  As the probe card used in the test of the IC chip is used, the tip of the probe needle is worn. When the amount of wear reaches a certain level, it cannot be used in the test of the IC chip, so that the probe needle needs to be replaced. The amount of wear is generally managed by measuring the length of the needle with a microscope or the like. For this measurement, the operator must remove the probe card from the prober at an appropriate time. Manual inspection is required. Such a probe card management method has a high management cost.

Therefore, without removing the probe card from the prober, when measuring the distance between the tip of the probe needle and the back surface of the probe card board (hereinafter referred to as the probe height), and when the probe height is worn down to within the standard value A probe card management method for stopping the prober has been proposed (Patent Document 1). Although this Patent Document 1 does not describe a specific method for measuring the probe height, for example, a camera described in Patent Document 2 for measuring the tip height of the probe needle can be used. Conceivable.
JP-A-7-169801 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-198662

  However, it is not actually possible to measure the probe height using the camera described in Patent Document 2.

  The camera described in Patent Document 2 is connected to a stage for placing a wafer on which an IC chip is formed, and moves in the height direction by moving the stage up and down. Then, the probe needle tip height is calculated from the stage height when the probe needle tip is in focus. Measurement of the probe needle tip height is performed with the stage upper surface lowered by about 1 mm compared to the probe needle tip so that the prober stage does not collide with the probe needle. However, in order to measure the probe height using such a camera, when trying to measure the height of the probe card substrate back surface in addition to the height of the probe needle tip, the height of the probe needle tip height is further increased. It is necessary to raise the stage by a height corresponding to the probe height. At this time, since the probe height is usually about 2 to 3 mm, it is inevitable that the tip of the probe needle collides with the stage.

  Therefore, in order to implement the method of patent document 1, the special prober provided with the probe height measurement means different from what was described in patent document 2 is needed.

  In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides a probe card and a management method thereof for measuring the wear amount of the probe needle tip while being attached to the prober without requiring a special prober. With the goal.

  In order to achieve the above object, a probe card of the present invention is a probe card having a plurality of probe needles whose tips are brought into contact with a plurality of test pads arranged on the surface of a semiconductor substrate with a predetermined overdrive amount. Before the tips of the probe needles are worn out and reach the end of their service life, the tips of the probe needles do not come into contact with the surface of the semiconductor substrate even if they are brought into contact with the test pads with the predetermined overdrive amount. It has the monitor needle | hook which is a needle | hook which has thickness.

  The probe card of the present invention has a monitor needle which is another type of needle in addition to a plurality of probe needles. Even before the tips of the plurality of probe needles are worn out and reach the end of their life, the monitor needle can be used even if the tips of the plurality of probe needles are brought into contact with a plurality of test pads with a predetermined overdrive amount. It has a tip height that does not touch the surface. For this reason, even if the tips of the plurality of probe needles are worn by the contact with the test pad, the tips of the monitor needles are not worn before the end of the service life. Therefore, by measuring the height of the tip of the probe needle with reference to the height of the tip of the monitor needle, it is possible to grasp the amount of wear at the tip of the probe needle. In addition, the difference in height between the tip of the monitor needle and the tip of the probe needle can be made smaller than the distance between the tip of the probe needle and the back surface of the probe card substrate. As a result, it is possible to measure the amount of wear at the tip of the probe needle with the probe card attached to the prober without requiring a special prober.

  Further, the probe card is configured such that the tip of the monitor needle contacts the plurality of test pads with the predetermined overdrive amount when the plurality of probe needles reach the end of their service life. If it does, you may have a height which contacts the said semiconductor substrate surface. Thereby, it can be detected that the probe needle has reached the end of its life by detecting the contact of the tip of the monitor needle with the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

  In order to achieve the above object, a probe card management method of the present invention includes a plurality of probe needles that are brought into contact with a plurality of test pads arranged on a semiconductor substrate surface with a predetermined overdrive amount, and the plurality of probe needles. Before the tips of the electrodes wear out and reach the end of their lives, the monitors having the tips at positions where the tips of the plurality of probe needles do not contact the surface of the semiconductor substrate even if they are brought into contact with the plurality of test pads with the predetermined overdrive amount. With the probe card having needles attached to a prober for bringing the tips of the plurality of probe needles into contact with the plurality of test pads, the heights of the tips of the plurality of probe needles and the tips of the monitor needles are adjusted. An inspection is performed to determine whether or not the difference is less than or equal to a predetermined limit value. A plurality of probe needles to and determines that led to life.

  In the probe card management method of the present invention, a probe card including a plurality of probe needles and a monitor needle having a tip at a position higher than the tips of the probe needles is used. Even before the tips of the plurality of probe needles are worn out and reach the end of their service life, the monitor needles can be obtained by contacting the tips of the plurality of probe needles with a plurality of test pads with a predetermined overdrive amount. It has a tip height that does not touch the surface. For this reason, even if the tips of the plurality of probe needles are worn by the contact with the test pad, the tips of the monitor needles are not worn before the end of the service life. Therefore, the wear amount at the tip of the probe needle can be grasped by the difference in height between the tip of the probe needle and the tip of the monitor needle, and when the difference is detected to be below a predetermined limit value, It can be determined that the probe needle has reached the end of its life. Moreover, the difference in height between the tip of the monitor needle and the tip of the probe needle can be made smaller than the distance between the tip of the probe needle and the back surface of the probe card substrate. Thus, the inspection can be performed with the probe card attached to the prober without requiring a special prober, and the management cost can be reduced.

  Further, the probe card management method of the present invention is such that when the tip of the monitor needle reaches the end of its life, the tip of the plurality of probe needles is subjected to a plurality of tests with a predetermined overdrive amount. The height of contact with the surface of the semiconductor substrate when brought into contact with the pad is detected when the difference in height between the tips is below a limit value. It may be performed by detecting that the tip of the monitor needle is in contact with a monitor pad provided on the surface of the semiconductor substrate when the contact is made with the predetermined overdrive amount.

  More specifically, detection of contact of the tip of the monitor needle with the monitor pad is performed after the tips of the plurality of probe needles are brought into contact with the plurality of test pads with the predetermined overdrive amount. It may be performed by detecting the formation of needle traces on the surface of the pad. Alternatively, it is performed by detecting electrical contact between the monitor needle and the monitor pad when the tips of the plurality of probe needles contact the plurality of test pads with the predetermined overdrive amount. May be. Such detection of the formation of needle traces and detection of electrical contact can be carried out using the functions of a standard prober.

  In the probe card management method of the present invention, the probe needle tip height measuring mechanism provided in the prober is used to detect that the difference in tip height is less than a limit value. The tip height of the monitor needle may be measured without measuring the tip height of the monitor needle without bringing the tip of the monitor needle into contact with the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

  This management method can be implemented using a standard prober having a probe needle tip height measurement function.

  Further, the needle tip height detection mechanism may observe an image of the needle tip and detect the height of the needle tip from the focal position of the image.

  By using the probe card of the present invention and by the probe card management method of the present invention, the probe card tip is attached to the prober without the need for a special prober and the management cost is reduced. By measuring the wear amount of the part, it can be determined that the probe needle has reached the end of its life.

[First embodiment]
First, an embodiment of a probe card according to the present invention and a first embodiment of the probe card management method according to the present invention using the embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an apparatus (prober) 20 for testing an IC chip using a probe card according to an embodiment of the present invention and detecting the trace of a probe needle to check the wear of the probe needle tip. FIG.

A probe card 3 is attached to a test board 2 fixed to the test head 1. The probe card 3 is provided with a plurality of probe needles for performing a wafer test. In FIG. 1, only one probe needle 4 is shown as a representative of the plurality of probe needles. Has been. Since the tip portions of the plurality of probe needles are all worn out in the same manner, the single probe needle 4 shown in FIG. 1 is treated as a probe needle representing the plurality of probe needles, and the explanation is advanced. . In addition to the probe needle 4, the probe card 3 is provided with a monitor needle 5 having a tip at a position higher than the tip of the probe needle 4 when viewed from the stage 6. On the stage 6, a semiconductor substrate (wafer) 7 having a plurality of IC chips formed thereon is placed. The stage 6 has a function of moving in the horizontal direction (X and Y directions), the height direction (Z direction), and the rotation direction (θ direction) to adjust the position of each IC chip on the wafer 7. When the wafer 7 is inspected, the stage 6 is set at a probing position indicated by a solid line in FIG. 1 below the probe needle. When the stage 6 is raised, the tip of the corresponding probe needle 4 comes into contact with each of a plurality of test pads arranged on each IC chip with a predetermined overdry amount. The tip of the probe needle 4 is worn little by little as it repeatedly contacts the pad in the process of testing the IC chip, and eventually the wear amount reaches the use limit wear amount of, for example, about 100 μm and reaches the end of its life. The difference in height between the tip of the probe needle 4 and the tip of the monitor needle 5 is that when the tip of the probe needle contacts the test pad on the wafer 7 with a predetermined overdrive amount at the end of the life of the probe needle 4. Is also set so that the front end of the wafer contacts the surface of the wafer 7. On the other hand, when measuring the position of the IC chip on the wafer 7, the stage 6 is set under the fixed CCD camera 9 at an alignment position indicated by a dotted line in FIG. The prober 20 is also provided with a capacitance sensor 10, and the height of the surface of the wafer 7 is measured by this capacitance sensor. The prober 20 is further provided with a moving CCD camera 8 that is connected to the stage 6 and moves together with the stage 6. The moving CCD camera 8 is used for measuring the height of the tip of the probe needle 4 and, in the third embodiment described later, also for measuring the height of the tip of the monitor needle 5a. Used.

  In the following, using the apparatus described above, the needle trace on the surface of the monitor pad formed when the tip of the monitor needle 5 comes in contact with the monitor needle pad (monitor pad) formed on the wafer 7 is detected. Thus, the probe card management method of the present invention according to the first embodiment is performed to check the wear of the tip of the probe needle 4.

  FIG. 2 shows an operation flow for testing the IC chips formed on the surfaces of a plurality of wafers constituting one lot and checking the wear of the tip of the probe needle 4 by detecting the needle trace on the surface of the monitor pad. It is a flowchart which shows. The work flow will be described below according to this flowchart.

  First, a lot to be tested is received (A0), and the first wafer 7 is placed on the prober stage 6 (A1). Each IC chip of each wafer 7 is provided with a test pad at a position corresponding to the tip of the probe needle 4 of the probe card 3 and a monitor pad at a position corresponding to the tip of the monitor needle 5. Then, the stage is moved to the alignment position (A2). Further, the position of the IC chip on the wafer 7 is measured by the fixed CCD camera 9 (A3), and based on the measurement result, the alignment of the wafer 7 (the stage so that each IC chip on the wafer 7 is positioned at a predetermined coordinate). Are adjusted) (A4). Thereafter, the stage is moved to the probing position (A5), and a wafer test is performed (A6). The wafer test is performed by raising the stage of each IC chip on the wafer 7 to bring the tip of the probe needle into contact with the test pad with a predetermined overdrive amount. At this time, when the tip of the probe needle 4 is worn and has reached the end of its life, the tip of the monitor needle 5 comes into contact with the monitor pad of each IC chip, and a needle mark is formed. If the wafer 7 to be tested is not the last wafer in one lot, No is selected in step A7, the wafer 7 for which the test has been completed is collected (A8), the process returns to step A1, and the next wafer is staged. And continue the wafer test. If the wafer 7 is the last wafer among the wafers of one lot, Yes is selected in step A7, and the stage is moved so that the monitor pad on the last wafer is positioned under the fixed CCD camera (A9). The surface of the monitor pad is observed with a fixed CCD camera, and the presence or absence of a needle trace is examined (A10). If the needle trace is not observed, it is determined that the lifetime has not yet been reached, the last wafer 7 is collected, and the tested lot is sent to the next process (A11). Further, the next lot is requested (A12). If needle marks are observed, it is determined that the probe needle tip has reached the end of its life due to wear. In this case, the last wafer 7 is collected, the tested lot is sent to the next process (A13), and an alarm requesting probe needle replacement is issued (A14). In this case, the test apparatus is stopped without requesting the next lot.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing needle marks formed on the pad. Before the tip of the probe needle 4 wears out and reaches the end of its life, the tip of the monitor needle 5 does not come into contact with the monitor pad, so only the needle mark 11 formed by the probe needle 4 remains on the pad. When the tip of the probe needle 4 is worn out and reaches the end of its life, the tip of the monitor needle 5 comes into contact with the monitor pad. Therefore, in addition to the needle trace 11, the needle trace 12 by the monitor needle 5 remains on the pad. Based on the needle trace 12, it is determined that the end of the probe needle has been reached due to wear.

Although omitted in the description here, in this embodiment as well, as in the second embodiment to be described next, the measurement of the wafer surface height by the capacitance 10 and the probe needle 4 by the moving CCD camera 8 are performed. The height of the tip of the probe and the height of the stage at which the tip of the probe needle physically contacts the test pad based on the measurement results are calculated.
[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the probe card according to an embodiment of the present invention and an embodiment of the probe card management method according to the present invention using the embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an apparatus (prober) 20a for testing the IC chip and detecting the electrical continuity between the monitor needle 5 and the stage 6 to check the wear of the probe needle tip. In the apparatus of FIG. 4, the same components as those of the apparatus of FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description of the same components is omitted. In the second embodiment, in addition to them, the power supply 13 necessary for applying a voltage between the monitor needle 5 and the stage 6 through the test head 1 and the current flowing through the power supply 13 are measured to measure the monitor needle 5. And an ammeter 14 for detecting electrical continuity between the stage 6 and the stage 6.

  Hereinafter, by using this apparatus 20a, the probe needle is detected by detecting the presence or absence of electrical continuity due to contact between the tip of the monitor needle 5 and a monitor needle pad (monitor pad) formed on the wafer 7. The probe card management method of the present invention for examining the wear of the tip 4 is executed.

FIG. 5 shows a flow of work for testing the IC chips formed on the surfaces of a plurality of wafers constituting one rod and checking the wear of the tip of the probe needle 4 on the probe card 3 used at that time. It is a flowchart to show. The work flow will be described below according to this flowchart. First, the rod to be tested is received (B0). Then, the stage is moved so that the moving CCD camera 8 is positioned below the tip of the probe needle, and the height of the tip of the probe needle is measured using this moving CCD camera 8 (B1). Next, the first wafer 7 is placed on the stage 6 (B2). Each IC chip formed on the surface of the wafer 7 is electrically connected to the wafer 7 at a position corresponding to the tip of the monitor needle 5 in addition to a test pad for contacting the tip of the probe needle 4. A monitor pad is provided. Then, the stage is moved so that the wafer 7 is positioned below the capacitance sensor 10, the height of the wafer surface is measured using this capacitance sensor 10 (B3), and the tip of the probe needle is positioned on the wafer surface. The height of the stage that physically contacts the test pad arranged at (B4) is calculated. Then, the stage is moved to the alignment position, the chip position is measured by the fixed CCD camera 9, and the wafer alignment is performed based on the measurement result (B5). Thereafter, the stage is moved to the probing position (B6). If this wafer 7 is not the last wafer in one lot, No is selected in step B7, a wafer test is performed (B8), and the tested wafer 7 is recovered. (B9) Return to Step B2 to continue the wafer test. If the wafer 7 is the last wafer in one lot, “Yes” is selected in Step B7, and in the course of performing the wafer test, the continuity test of the monitor needle is performed to determine the life of the probe needle. The work will be described below. First, the stage is raised to a height obtained by adding a predetermined overdrive amount to the height at which the tip of the probe needle physically contacts, calculated for each IC chip on the wafer 7 (B10), and the probe needle is used as a pad. The contact is made and the IC chip is tested (B11). If the IC chip to be tested is not the last IC chip on this wafer 7, No is selected in step B12, the stage is lowered (B13), the test object of the chip test is moved to the next IC chip (B14), and step Return to B10 and continue the chip test. When the IC chip to be tested is the last IC chip on the wafer 7, a predetermined voltage is applied between the monitor needle 5 and the stage 6 by the power source 13 and flows while the probe needle is in contact with the pad. The current is measured using the ammeter 14 (B15). Then, the stage is lowered, the last wafer 7 is collected, and the tested lot is sent to the next process (B16). If the measured current is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, Yes is selected in step B17, and the probe needle has reached the end of its life, and it is determined that the monitor needle has come into contact with the monitor pad due to contact with the monitor pad. Then, an alarm requesting probe needle replacement is issued (B18). Then, the test apparatus is stopped without accepting the next lot. If the measured current is less than the predetermined value, it is determined that the life has not been reached, No is selected in step B17, and the wafer test for the next lot is continued (B19).
[Third embodiment]
Furthermore, one embodiment of the probe card of the present invention and a third embodiment of embodiments of the probe card management method of the present invention using the embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic view of an apparatus (prober) 20b for testing the IC chip and checking the wear of the probe needle tip by measuring the difference in height between the monitor needle and the probe needle. For example, the same configuration as that used in the first embodiment can be used as the prober 20b. However, unlike the first and second embodiments, in the probe card 3a of the third embodiment, the tip of the monitor needle can be obtained even when the probe needle that has reached the end of its life is brought into contact with the pad with a predetermined overdrive amount. Need not contact the wafer surface. That is, even if the tip of the probe needle 4a is worn out and its life is reached, the tip of the monitor needle 5a is still at a position higher than a predetermined overdrive amount, for example, about 100 μm higher than the tip of the probe needle 4a. It may be set to be in

  In the following description, the probe card management method of the present invention is used to measure the difference in height between the tip of the probe needle 4a and the tip of the monitor needle 5a by using this apparatus to check the wear of the tip of the probe needle 4a. .

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a flow of work for testing IC chips formed on the surfaces of a plurality of wafers constituting one lot and examining the wear of the tip of the probe needle 4a on the probe card 3a. The work flow will be described below according to this flowchart. Also in this embodiment, the lot to be tested is first accepted (C0). However, before starting the wafer test, the tip end of the probe needle 4a is examined for wear. First, the stage is moved so that the moving CCD camera 8 is positioned below the tip of the probe needle 4a (C1), and the stage is moved up and down while observing the image of the tip of the probe needle using the moving CCD camera 8. Then, the height of the tip of the probe needle 4a is measured by obtaining the stage height (focal position) at which the image of the needle tip is the smallest (C2). At this time, if necessary, as shown by a broken line in FIG. 7, the measurement of the tip heights of the other probe needles 4a is repeated, and the average value of the tip heights of the plurality of probe needles 4a is obtained. Also good. Subsequently, the stage is moved so that the moving CCD camera is positioned below the tip of the monitor needle (C3), and the height of the tip of the monitor needle is measured by the same method (C4). From these measurement results, the difference in height between the probe needle tip and the monitor needle tip is calculated (C5). If it is equal to or less than the predetermined limit value, No is selected in step C6, it is determined that the probe needle has reached the end of its life, and an alarm is issued to request probe needle replacement (C8).

  However, in the flow of this embodiment shown in FIG. 5, even when it is determined that the probe needle has reached the end of its life, the wafers in the accepted lot are tested and sent to the next process (C7). An alarm is issued. Wear on the tip of the probe needle does not proceed rapidly during measurement of IC chips formed on a wafer in one lot. For this reason, by appropriately setting the limit value in step C6, it is possible to test IC chips formed on a plurality of wafers constituting one lot even when it is determined that the lifetime has been reached. is there. Further, in this way, the probe needle tip height measured in step C2 is measured in step C7 or the step described next by performing the inspection of the wear amount of the tip of the probe needle 4a and the wafer test as a series of operations. In the test of wafers in a lot at C9, it can be used for calculating the height at which the probe needle tip physically contacts the test pad (see steps B1 to B4 in FIG. 5), which is efficient. . On the other hand, if it exceeds the limit value, Yes is selected in step C6, and it is determined that the life has not been reached yet. Then, the wafer test for one lot is performed and sent to the next process (C9), and then the next lot request is made (C10).

  The above is the description of the probe card management method for measuring the difference in height between the tip of the probe needle 4a and the tip of the monitor needle 5a to check the wear of the tip of the probe needle 4. In this method, the difference in height between the tip of the monitor needle 5a and the tip of the probe needle 4a before wear can be accurately grasped as the specification of the probe card. By calculating the difference in height, the amount of wear at the tip of the probe needle can be accurately calculated. In the measurement of the tip height of the monitor needle 5a in step C4, the difference between the height of the tip of the monitor needle 5a and the tip of the probe needle 4a is about 200 μm at most. When the height of the tip of the monitor needle 5a is measured, the stage 6 or the wafer 7 placed on the stage 6 does not collide with the tip of the probe needle 4a. That is, the management method of this embodiment can be implemented using the moving CCD camera 8 for measuring the tip height of the probe needle 4a provided in a standard blower.

  In any of the above first, second, and third embodiments, the wear state of the probe needle tip was determined only once in the flow of testing one lot of accepted wafers. That is, in the first and second embodiments, whether the monitor needle contacts the monitor pad or the monitor needle contacts the stage via the monitor pad and the wafer in the measurement of the last wafer in one lot. It was determined whether or not the probe needle had reached the end of its life by detecting whether or not to do so. On the other hand, in the third embodiment, the difference between the height of the tip of the probe needle and the height of the tip of the monitor needle is measured before starting the test of the received lot. Normally, the wear of the probe needle tip does not proceed rapidly while testing IC chips formed on wafers in one lot. Therefore, for example, as described above, it is sufficient to grasp the wear amount only once at an arbitrary timing during the test of one lot.

This is an apparatus for testing the IC chip and detecting the trace of the probe needle to check the wear of the tip of the probe needle. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the operation | work which investigates abrasion of the front-end | tip of a probe needle by testing the wafer of 1 lot, and detecting the needle trace of a monitor needle. These are the needle trace by the probe needle and the needle trace by the monitor needle on the pad. This is an apparatus for testing the IC chip and detecting the electrical continuity between the monitor needle and the stage to check the wear of the tip of the probe needle. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the operation | work which investigates the abrasion of a probe needle tip by testing the wafer of 1 lot, and detecting the electrical continuity between a monitor needle and a stage. It is an apparatus for examining the wear of the tip of the probe needle by performing a test of the IC chip and measuring the difference in height between the monitor needle and the probe needle. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the operation | work which investigates the abrasion of a probe needle tip by measuring the difference of the height of a monitor needle and a probe needle while testing the wafer of 1 lot.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Test head 2 Test board 3, 3a Probe card 4, 4a Probe needle 5, 5a Monitor needle 6 Stage 7 Wafer 8 Moving CCD camera 9 Fixed CCD camera 10 Capacitance sensor 11 Needle trace on pad by probe needle 12 Monitor needle Needle trace on pad by 13 Power supply 14 Ammeter 20, 20a, 20b Prober

Claims (5)

  A probe card having a plurality of probe needles that contact a plurality of test pads arranged on the surface of a semiconductor substrate with a predetermined overdrive amount before the tips of the plurality of probe needles are worn out and reach a lifetime. Has a monitor needle that is a needle having a tip height that does not contact the surface of the semiconductor substrate even if the tips of the plurality of probe needles are brought into contact with the plurality of test pads at the predetermined overdrive amount. Probe card.   When the tips of the monitor needles reach the end of their lives, the tips of the probe needles are brought into contact with the plurality of test pads with the predetermined overdrive amount. The probe card according to claim 1, wherein the probe card has a height in contact with the probe card.   A plurality of probe needles that are brought into contact with a plurality of test pads arranged on a semiconductor substrate surface with a predetermined overdrive amount; A probe card having a monitor needle having a tip at a position that does not contact the surface of the semiconductor substrate even if the tip of the needle is brought into contact with the plurality of test pads with the predetermined overdrive amount, and the tip of the plurality of probe needles is Inspecting whether or not the difference in height between the tip of the plurality of probe needles and the tip of the monitor needle has become a predetermined limit value or less while attached to a prober for contacting a plurality of test pads. Determining that the plurality of probe needles have reached the end of their life when it is detected that the difference in height is equal to or less than a predetermined limit value. Management method of the probe card.   When the tips of the monitor needles reach the end of their lives, the tips of the probe needles are brought into contact with the plurality of test pads with the predetermined overdrive amount. Detecting that the difference in height between the tips is below a limit value, and contacting the tips of the plurality of probe needles to the plurality of test pads with the predetermined overdrive amount. 4. The probe card management method according to claim 3, wherein the probe card is detected by detecting that the tip of the monitor needle is in contact with a monitor pad provided on the surface of the semiconductor substrate.   The detection that the difference in tip height is below a limit value is measured by measuring the tip height of at least one of the plurality of probe needles by a probe needle tip height measuring mechanism provided in the prober, and 4. The probe card management method according to claim 3, wherein the height of the tip of the monitor needle is measured without contacting the tip of the monitor needle with the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

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