(September 29, 2010 – Marketwire) — Cascade Microtech Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCD), supplier of production probe cards with signal integrity for multi-site die testing, released S-Technology for improved contact physics. S-Technology provides a unique mechanical architecture for Pyramid probe cards designed to consistently deliver evenly distributed contact force for solder bump technologies.
Increased RF ports on ICs require a higher-performance known good die (KGD) testing methodology. Bluetooth, FM, GPS, WiFi, WiMAX, Mobile TV and NFC are the catalysts of highly integrated and competitive wireless solutions in smart phones, consumer electronics, automotive and tablet PCs. Dominated by a combination of chip scale (CSP) and wafer-level chip-scale packaging (WLCSP) techniques, which use solder bump technology, chip package manufacturers demand the highest performance KGD testing methodology to achieve yield goals. Multi-function wireless connectivity solutions, often referred to as "combo" devices, will account for nearly two-thirds of all wireless connectivity solutions shipped into mobile phones by 2012 (data from IDC). To keep pace and meet increasingly stringent yield requirements, test engineers require cost-effective advanced probe technologies for multi-RF-port production wafer probe test.
S-Technology addresses at-speed multi-site KGD testing challenges and reduces the overall cost-of-ownership, according to Cascade Microtech. S-Technology brings a state-of-the-art mechanical platform to the production-proven electrical performance of Cascade Microtech’s Pyramid Probe cards for testing at up to 81GHz operational frequencies. The Pyramid Probe card series can deliver at-speed KGD test across a multi-site probe.
The major mechanical challenge facing engineers testing increasing numbers of RF die using a multi-site probe is uneven force distribution. This causes inconsistent contact across the solder balls, which can lead to site-to-site test variation which in turn reduces yield. The unique S-Technology mechanical architecture delivers 20g per tip with improved planarity, which ensures excellent contact characteristics and minimal contact resistance. Cascade Microtech’s mechanically isolated Pyramid Probe head delivers transmission lines all the way to the solder bump, ensuring superior RF signal integrity for up to 2000 probe tips on a larger probe face.
NS-Technology features proprietary NanoScrub technology that removes contaminants on each touchdown, maintaining low and stable contact resistance. This increases the production testing up-time by reducing the time between cleaning cycles, which minimizes maintenance overhead and extends probe card lifetime — typically to over a million touchdowns.
Pyramid Probes with new S-Technology are now being used in multiple worldwide sites testing leading-edge wireless devices.
Cascade Microtech Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCD) supplies tools for precise electrical and mechanical measurement and test of integrated circuits (ICs) and other small structures. Cascade Microtech delivers access to electrical data from wafers, integrated circuits (ICs), IC packages, circuit boards and modules, MEMS, 3D TSV, LED devices and more. Cascade Microtech’s semiconductor production test products unique probe cards and test sockets. For more information, visit www.cascademicrotech.com.
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