Cascade Microtech Automates On-Wafer Device Measurement for the Lab With Flexible Probing Platform
January 15 2013 - 10:00AM
Marketwired
Cascade Microtech, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCD), a leading expert at
enabling precision measurements of integrated circuits at the wafer
level, today announced the CM300, a flexible on-wafer measurement
platform that scales to meet evolving needs in capability and
automation. It enhances device and process characterization and
modeling by capturing the true electrical performance of devices
and enabling hands-off productivity.
The International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS)
shows semiconductor devices following "Moore's Law and More" with
the continuous shrinking of the devices paired with increasing
performance. New and enhanced analytical techniques are required to
extract the necessary information for device and model development,
as well as validation. In the engineering lab, priority is placed
on detailed characterization and modeling of the mechanical and
electrical properties of ever-shrinking transistor features, so
designers can rely on design automation to create robust circuit
designs. The CM300's high-accuracy measurements deliver reliable
data, reducing design iterations, costs and time-to-market.
Another trend in device modeling, process integration, and wafer
level reliability (WLR) is the requirement for substantially higher
volumes of measurement data as proof of device performance. This
trend impacts integrated device manufacturers, foundries and
fabless design houses alike. While the data produces faster
time-to-yield, it also increases test time per wafer. The CM300's
measurement automation, including the ability to reduce idle time
while testing over a wide span of temperatures, and test automation
using Velox™ software, improves throughput while delivering high
volumes of reliable data. With the new Velox probe station control
software, the CM300 enables safe and fast wafer loading and easy
test automation and measurement system integration, while
preventing damage of probe tips, probe cards and customer wafers
throughout the entire measurement cycle.
"Our customers are facing demanding challenges in device design
and test productivity, with the constant pressure to reduce test
costs," said Debbora Ahlgren, Vice President of Marketing, Cascade
Microtech. "With the CM300 our customers benefit from highly
configurable and scalable solutions, from semi- to fully-automated.
Whether a general purpose or state-of-the-art solution, customers
protect their investment with upgrade paths for measurement
capability, application flexibility and test automation. By
allowing them to create more precise model parameters and achieve
reliable, repeatable contact over temperature and time, the CM300
helps them achieve faster time-to-market on new devices and
technologies."
Device Modeling and Temperature Variations on
Small Pads Reliable contact is critical to ensure accurate
measurements and reduce design iterations. In addition, model
parameters require large volumes of reliable and accurate
measurement data for statistical evaluation, including physical
dependencies such as temperature variations. The CM300 allows a
high degree of measurement complexity and test flexibility to
perform I-V, C-V, RF and 1/f measurements over a specified
temperature range. With fast and well-characterized thermal
transition and probe-to-pad alignment, the CM300 processes a high
volume of measurement data with accuracy on pads as small as 30
µm.
Wafer Level Reliability and Automation WLR
test engineers seek optimum throughput and flexibility, and use
individual probes/probe cards to generate statistical data with a
variety of measurement techniques. The CM300's ability to perform
parallel test of multiple die is key to saving overall
characterization time by reducing long test cycles. The CM300
fully-automated probe system offers cassette loading for a single
station, or dual stations operating as a 'cluster' probe system,
for parallel die-level test, to deliver maximum throughput and test
efficiency.
Product Availability The CM300 has been in
beta test at an industry-leading integrated device manufacturer in
North America, and customer orders have been received from process
tool and test service companies. Lead times begin at 12 weeks, and
will vary based upon configuration and options required. The CM300
system is available as a shielded system with an upgrade path from
a semi-automated to a fully-automated probe system by adding a
cassette loader; a second probe station can be added to create a
cluster probe system. A roadmap for feature enhancements is planned
that will provide CM300 users with incremental benefits over years
of product ownership.
Probes and Probe Cards Cascade Microtech
offers more than 50 different analytical probe models for wafer,
package, and board level characterization. The company offers RF
microwave probes in the Infinity Probe®, air coplanar and |Z|
Probe® families, DCPs for DC test and probes for failure analysis.
The probes support a broad range of probing uses at frequencies up
to 500 GHz. Pyramid Probe® cards are rugged, robust, and well
suited for the rigors of high-performance production wafer sort.
Industry-leading signal integrity and mechanical alignment
capabilities make these probe cards the perfect fit for multi-die
testing for RF wireless, high-speed digital in SiPs, SoCs, and
leading-edge DC and RF parametric testing.
Global Customer Operations Cascade
Microtech, with headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, has
manufacturing operations in both the United States and Germany.
Regional sales offices are located in the U.S., China, Taiwan,
Germany, Singapore, and Japan, supported by over 40 sales
representatives and distributors worldwide. Customers are supported
by a global team of experts in both systems support and
applications services.
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: Debbora Ahlgren Cascade
Microtech, Inc. (503) 601-1829 Debbora.Ahlgren@CMicro.com
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