Dec 1 2010
MicroProbe, a leading supplier of wafer test technology to the global semiconductor industry, today announced that it is extending its direct-dock offering to support Advantest's T2000 SoC test platform.
The T2000 platform-compatible option -- now available on MicroProbe's complete line of advanced probe cards -- enables test coverage at wafer sort, giving customers a major yield-learning boost, as well as time-to-market advantages. More than 100 direct-dock probe cards are already in the field.
The direct-dock probe card enables final test at wafer sort by removing the bandwidth limitation between the tester and the semiconductor device under test. By leveraging system-level optimization, the direct-dock option shortens the electrical trace length from the tester to the device which results in better signal bandwidth and fidelity. This means earlier detection of certain defects that might otherwise escape wafer test and only become apparent during final test of the packaged devices. Moreover, for new product ramps where cost efficiencies and time-to-volume are the new imperatives, or for Known-Good-Die (KGD) test models that require 100 percent test coverage at wafer sort, the benefits of direct-dock are especially significant.
"When we talk about working with our customers and partners to both reduce the cost and increase the value of test, we're referring to innovations like direct-dock," said Mike Slessor, CEO at MicroProbe. "This doesn't just provide customers with a novel test tool; it arms them with a pre-emptive strategy to weed out defective die well before they become a cost and quality liability. It's simply the most cost-effective way to maximize yield entitlement in high-volume production environments. And it's made possible when we partner with leaders like Advantest to deliver innovative new test technologies that help customers address their technical and economic challenges."
Source: http://www.microprobe.com/