A Little Care Will Help Extend the Life of Your Probe Holders & Tips

At The Micromanipulator Company, we based our success on that of our customers, and in fact, it is what drives our business.  Along with offering quality tools for every budget, we provide our customers with information that helps protect their investments.  Thus we not only sell the finest selection of probe tips and probe holders but also offer advice to help care for these products. After all, well-maintained equipment typically performs better as well as lasts longer. 

For easy-to-follow suggestions regarding product care, our website has a Probe Tips and Probe Holders Reference Manual that goes over some of the various techniques for cleaning and protecting your products.  Please note that the way you protect your tips against corrosion and their cleaning procedures differ depending on the material of your probe tips and holders.  

To clean your probe holder, we recommend applying a methanol solution to the tip of the holder with a swab or other suitable applicator, but do not soak the holder in the solution.  Once you have applied the methanol, you will need to bake the shank at 200o F-300o F for a minimum of 6 hours.  

To remove deposits from Tungsten, Tungsten Carbide, and Nickel tips as well as HCT and Custom tips coated with platinum, we recommend rinsing them in deionized water and then using compressed air to dry the excess water.  If you want to remove oxide deposits, dip the probe tip into a 1.0 solution of normal sodium hydroxide (NaOH) for a few seconds. Again rinse the tip with deionized water and dry with compressed air.  

Probe tips and probe holders should be kept sealed in the original shipping box and stored in a dry place until needed.  Once the box is opened, be sure to keep the small desiccator package found in the bottom of the box as it will help keep products dry.  

Micromanipulator’s Probe Tips and Probe Holders Reference Manual has much more on keeping tips and probe holders in optimal condition as well as detailed information on the best uses for them.  Please see our website to browse through our wide assortment of quality probe holders and probe tips, of which many can now be ordered online. 

At Micromanipulator, we not only invented analytical probing in 1956 but are still the top name in the field.  As such we reliably deliver the tools and life cycle support the semiconductor industry depends on. A key part of our company’s philosophy and what drives our success is an unfaltering commitment to customers’ satisfaction.  Please contact us to learn more about our wide range of wafer probe stations and accessories.