Cascade Microtech addresses power semiconductors and RFICs
Cascade adapts Tesla for Agilent's B1505A power-device analyzer and debuts 60- to 80-GHz probe capability.
-- Test & Measurement World, 7/2/2009 7:58:00 AM
Cascade Microtech is addressing the emerging energy-efficiency standards that are driving the need for accurate power-device characterization in automotive, mobile-device, transportation, and other applications. In addition, the company is targeting probing for millimeter-wave RFICs that will serve WirelessHD, automotive radar, and other applications operating in the 60- to 80-GHz range.
In the company’s most recent initiative to address power-characterization needs, it introduced a set of new probes and accessories for its Tesla on-wafer power-device characterization system, making Tesla fully compatible with the recently released Agilent B1505A power device analyzer. The combined system offers an extended triaxial measurement range to accommodate low-noise probing of power devices up to 2000 V.
The award-winning Tesla system meets these demands for making measurements at increasing voltage and current levels when characterizing devices fabricated using new wide band gap materials such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN). Tesla offers what the company says is the industry’s highest voltage and current range for on-wafer measurements: up to 2000 V triax or 3000V coax, and up to 60 A pulsed or 20 A continuous. Combined with Agilent’s B1505A power device analyzer, the new Tesla probes have been designed to take advantage of the performance of the B1505A, meeting the requirements of more advanced device characterization applications.
“Power devices are prolific in today’s semiconductor industry. Our customers are constantly striving to improve the efficiency of these critical IC components,” says Geoff Wild, CEO of Cascade Microtech. “The Tesla system facilitates on-wafer C-V, I-V, and breakdown measurements, which in turn enables faster development cycles at an overall lower cost-of-test versus packaged test. Unlike other solutions, the Cascade Microtech Tesla system allows users to realize the full potential of their B1505A, with the maximum range of voltage, current and application compatibility.”
Probes for millimeter-wave RFICs
Cascade Microtech has also announced the release of two products that streamline engineering and production testing of high-bandwidth, short-range RFIC devices for WirelessHD, automotive radar, and other 60-GHz wireless applications. Using a combination of Cascade Microtech’s proprietary thin-film technology and coaxial probe technology from its Infinity Probe architecture, the 110-GHz Unity-MW millimeter-wave RFIC engineering probe supports the precision characterization and testing of these multiple-port emerging technologies. Utilizing the same membrane technology, the Pyramid-MW 81-GHz production probe card supports the at-speed test of known-good-die (KGD) in high volume.
Cascade cites market researchers pointing to a surge in demand for devices operating in the 60- to 80-GHz range: ABI Research says one million wireless high-definition TVs will be installed worldwide by 2012, with double-digit growth rates, and Strategy Analytics reports that over 2.3 million cars will be equipped with collision avoidance radar systems by 2011, requiring over 30 million radar sensors.
“Automotive radar and wireless multimedia applications will continue over the next two years to move from their embryonic stage into higher volume growth applications,” says CEO Wild. “Cascade Microtech is unique in that it has a 25-year history of helping customers to precisely characterize and validate device functionality at both engineering and production test. In order to achieve widespread deployment of CMOS-based millimeter-wave RFICs in consumer applications at 80 GHz and beyond, it requires a knowledgeable leader in very highfrequency high-volume probing.”
Cascade Microtech demonstrated the RFIC probing capability in conjunction with Agilent at last month’s International Microwave Symposium. Said Gregg Peters, VP and GM of Agilent Technologies’ Components Test Division, “This announcement affirms our combined commitment to provide exceptional solutions to millimeter-wave RFIC customers. Agilent recognizes Cascade Microtech as a key global channel partner. Innovative end-to-end solutions that speed the design and testing of Wireless HD devices are a direct result of ongoing collaborations between Agilent and Cascade Microtech.”
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