Industry's First Fully-Automatic High-Power Device Measurement Probe System
June 04 2012 - 8:59AM
Marketwired
Cascade Microtech, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCD), a leading expert at
enabling precision measurements of integrated circuits at the wafer
level, today introduced the new APS200TESLA. This innovative,
turn-key system combines the proven capabilities of its Tesla
on-wafer power device characterization measurement technology with
Cascade Microtech's BlueRay™ production automation technology to
deliver the industry's first complete on-wafer production solution
to address the test challenges of discrete power devices.
As power semiconductors grow with the demand for
energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly products, power
device manufacturing will shift from silicon substrates to silicon
carbide (SiC), gallium nitride (GaN), and gallium nitride on
silicon (GaN-on-Si). These new substrate technologies offer
improved efficiency and enable higher levels of power, and faster
switching, in many applications using insulated gate bipolar
transistors (IGBTs) and MOSFETS, such as automotive and consumer
electronics, electrical power distribution and large data
centers.
Fast-growing applications in renewable energy and industrial
power will challenge power device manufacturers to develop more
efficient devices at a lower cost, driving the need for test
solutions specifically designed for high-voltage/high-current
probing. Cascade Microtech meets this challenge with the first
fully-automatic on-wafer probe system for high-power device
measurement. Rated up to 10k V/400 A, the APS200TESLA delivers
unmatched electrical performance for high-voltage and high-current
device characterization at production levels. The system comes with
a high-voltage/high-current probe card, a high-voltage/high-power
chuck port, and the patent-pending MicroVac™ high-power chuck that
can handle wafer thicknesses down to 50 µm, such as the ultra-thin
Taiko wafers. An optimized electrical connection easily integrates
the APS200TESLA with a variety of test instruments, and the
interlock-enabled safety shield provides a safe environment for the
operator. The arc-suppression feature allows the customer to
optimize device layout to achieve better yields. Auto-discharging
and the unique probe-pin touch sensing capability prevent device
damage due to high-voltage discharge during die-to-die moves. The
APS200TESLA also offers advanced prober control software for
automatic wafer and die stepping.
"The new APS200TESLA leverages our experience in achieving
accurate on-wafer measurement. It is an advanced, turn-key power
device measurement system that will help our customers improve
cost-of-ownership, increasing test throughput and improving
yields," said Michael Burger, president and CEO, Cascade Microtech,
Inc. "It allows our customers to save time by avoiding unnecessary
dicing and packaging prior to final test. By testing on-wafer in a
production environment, the APS200TESLA enables our customers to
reduce test costs and get their products to market faster."
About Cascade Microtech, Inc. Cascade
Microtech, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCD) is a worldwide leader in precision
contact, electrical measurement and test of integrated circuits
(ICs), optical devices and other small structures. For technology
businesses and scientific institutions that need to evaluate small
structures, Cascade Microtech delivers access to electrical data
from wafers, ICs, IC packages, circuit boards and modules, MEMS, 3D
TSV, LED devices and more. Cascade Microtech's leading-edge
stations, probes, probe cards and integrated systems deliver
precision accuracy and superior performance both in the lab and
during production manufacturing of high-speed and high-density
semiconductor chips. For more information visit
www.cascademicrotech.com.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Laurie A. Winton Cascade
Microtech, Inc. (503) 601-1934 laurie.winton@cmicro.com