At NI Week, taking place in Austin, NI has demonstrated a 5G mmWave wafer probe test solution it developed in collaboration with Tokyo Electron, FormFactor, and Reid-Ashman.
Addressing the technical challenges associated with 5G mmWave wafer probe tests, the demonstrated solution can help semiconductor manufacturers reduce their risk, cost and time to market for 5G mmWave ICs. New mmWave frequencies are challenging the signal integrity of conventional probe techniques, which consist of a probe interface board (PIB), probe tower and probe card. NI, TEL, FormFactor, and Reid-Ashman collaborated to demonstrate a direct dock probe solution that simplifies the signal path, provides the necessary signal integrity for mmWave applications and supports both top and bottom load probe applications.
A key element of the solution is the NI Semiconductor Test System (STS), and a recently demonstrated multisite mmWave test solution for 5G power amplifiers, beamformers, and transceivers. A key benefit of the solution is the modularity that allows reuse of software and baseband/IF instrumentation with modular mmWave radio heads to address current and future mmWave frequency bands of interest.
The 5G mmWave wafer probe test solution features:
- NI STS for 5G mmWave test with direct dock probe support
- TEL Precio XL automatic wafer prober optimized for parallel die test with highly accurate x-, y-, and z-axis control for reliable contact sensitivity
- A FormFactor Pyramid-MW probe card for superior RF signal integrity and long contactor life in production test environments
- Reid-Ashman OM1700 universal manipulator with a motorized motion for efficient, repeatable and product-safe docking
Semiconductor chipmakers and outsourced assembly and test (OSATs) providers interested in the solution are encouraged to visit the Semiconductor Pavilion in the NIWeek Exhibit Hall to see the demonstration and speak to representatives from each company.
Click here to see NI Week 2019 Coverage on everything RF.
