probers

Probers are devices or personnel involved in probing, or investigating, a surface, component, or system to obtain measurements, observations, or data. In common technical usage, the term most often refers to equipment used to make precise electrical contact with a surface for test and characterization purposes. The word can also describe the people who operate such equipment.

In semiconductor manufacturing and electronics testing, a prober is a precision measurement system used to contact pads on a silicon wafer or device under test. A prober positions micro-probes or probe cards with micrometer-level accuracy to establish electrical connections to individual die on a wafer. This wafer-level testing, performed before packaging, helps assess functionality, parametric performance, and yield. Prober systems are typically integrated with automated handlers and software that control probe position, force, temperature, and measurement sequences. They may support multiple probes simultaneously to increase throughput and can be manual, semi-automatic, or fully automated.

Probers require careful handling and calibration. Operators—often called probers or prober technicians—set up test programs, align probes with test pads, monitor contact quality, and interpret measurement results. They must manage issues such as probe wear, alignment drift, electrostatic discharge protection, and contamination control to ensure reliable data and protect fragile devices.

Outside electronics, the term prober can describe any instrument or person that investigates or probes a subject to gather information. However, in common scholarly and industrial contexts, “prober” most frequently denotes the wafer-probing equipment and the technicians who operate it.