PURPOSE: To make a probe small in size and be of high density and further to reduce electric resistance of probe pins, by manufacturing the probe pins from a superconducting material and by disposing permanent magnets or electromagnets near the probe pins respectively.

CONSTITUTION: After probe pins 1 manufactured from a superconducting material are put in a superconducting state, a semiconductor device 4 to be tested and a probing device are made to approach each other and the probe pins 1 are made to contact with electrode pads 5 of the device 4 respectively. A gap between the device 4 and an insulative substrate 2 is set beforehand, and the probe pins 1 are made not only to contact simply with the electrode pads 4, but also to contact therewith under a certain pressure. This pressure is generated by the Meissner effect, and the intensity of a magnetic field increases as the probe pin 1 in the superconducting state approaches a magnet. Therefore a repulsive force is enhanced by the increase in the intensity and consequently the pressure increases. A function test is implemented by letting a test current flow to the device 4 through the probe pins 1.