US Patent 12019096 Sensor-based planar wafer probe alignment

A wafer probe alignment system includes a test probe needle including a body having a tip that is configured to make contact with a surface of a wafer at a first tip position, wherein the body is deformable and includes a sensing area that undergoes a deformation in response to at least one force, including a lateral friction force, applied to the tip; at least one sensor configured to monitor the sensing area for deformation caused by a lateral friction force and generate at least one first sensor information representative of the lateral friction force; and a controller configured to control a position of the tip, wherein the controller is configured to receive the at least one first sensor information and reposition the tip to counteract the lateral friction force in order to maintain the tip at the first tip position.