A  microprobe station  is used to physically acquire signals from the internal nodes of a semiconductor device. The probe station utilizes manipulators which allow the precise positioning of thin needles on the surface of a semiconductor device. If the device is being electrically stimulated, the signal is acquired by the microprobe and is displayed on an  oscilloscope  or  SMU . The microprobe station is often used in the  failure analysis  of semiconductor devices.