Show Highlights

Semicon West, July 16–20, San Francisco, CA, SEMI, www.semiconwest.com.

Semicon West covered the gamut from design tools to rework tools. Included in this year’s exhibits were yield-management software, electrical testers, environmental test equipment, and inspection components and equipment.

Synopsys highlighted its Odyssey and TetraMAX tools. Odyssey has traditionally supported correlation of fab, yield, and test data, and it now supports correlation of this data with TetraMAX circuit-failure data to help identify design or foundry problems. Magma Design Automation described the Passive Voltage Contrast (PVC) Checker simulation option for its Knights Camelot CAD navigation software. The company also highlighted its YieldManager software. W.L. Gore & Associates announced that it has added high-flex round cable to its High Flex Cable and Trackless Cable Configurator online tool.

Verigy introduced the V5000ep, which allows customers to perform quality assurance, characterization, and small-lot production at wafer sort and final test on memory devices as well as memory cards and multichip packages (MCPs). Advantest demonstrated its new integrated test cell (see "ATE firm responds to RF chipmaker's call").

Johnstech highlighted its new leaded ROL200 test contactors. Nextest demonstrated its Magnum Grande 7680-pin test system integrated with a Mirae Model 530 handler. Nextest also highlighted its Magnum SV 1024-pin test system and its Magnum iCP-EV 128-pin system. Members of the Semiconductor Test Consortium were on hand to discuss the STIX (Semiconductor Test Interface eXtensions) initiative.

Keithley Instruments announced that it has enhanced its S600 parametric tester and said it has qualified FormFactor to manufacture high-performance parametric test probe cards for Keithley’s semiconductor parametric testers. For its part, FormFactor highlighted its development of a MEMS-based probing contact technology capable of full area wafer probing of high-pin-density, ultra-fine-pitch devices. Suss MicroTec unveiled its new ProbeShield technology for wafer-level test.

Startup Scanimetrics launched its first product for the semiconductor test market: the Wi-TAP (Wireless Test Access Port) wireless noncontact “virtual probe.” Micromanipulator highlighted its new P300J motorized, joystick-controlled probing station. Data Translation demonstrated a new release of Measure Foundry with the new Instrument Pack for Measure Foundry option, which supports LXI.

FEI highlighted its FIB tools as well as its new Phenom high-resolution desktop imaging tool with an optical camera. Rudolph Technologies demonstrated its wafer-inspection equipment. FLIR Systems highlighted its ThermoVision SC8000 MWIR infrared camera. Point Grey Research highlighted its Grasshopper series of IEEE 1394b cameras. Vision Engineering presented its Mantis Elite long-working-distance (4.41-in.) lens.

Olympus Integrated Technologies America demonstrated its FR3200 broadband Deep UV wafer-inspection and automated wafer-review system, which provides imaging in single or combined-multiple wavelengths. Hyphenated Systems highlighted its HS200A confocal microscopy system. Vistek highlighted its LDS3300 all-surface inspection tool, which enables front-side, back-side, and edge/bevel inspection.

In response to the growing demand for affordable high-end x-ray computed tomography (CT), phoenix|x-ray introduced its new microme|x CT system. Carl Zeiss SMT said it has shipped its first Orion helium ion microscope, to NIST. Dage Precision Industries highlighted enhanced computerized tomography capability for its XiDAT XD7600NT digital x-ray inspection system. Temptronic introduced its TP4500 ThermoStream system, which combines high thermal capacity and portability with a –45°C to +225°C temperature range.

International Symposium on EMC, July 10–12, Honolulu, HI, IEEE, www.emc2007.org.

The 2007 IEEE EMC Symposium took place in the 50th state to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the IEEE EMC Society. In her keynote address, Dr. Leah Jamieson of Purdue University, the IEEE president, expressed concern about the future of the engineering profession. “There will be a disconnect if education doesn’t keep up,” she said. She suggested that a bachelor’s degree is becoming a “pre-engineering degree” and that a master’s degree is almost a requirement.

In a session on EMC history, Hugh Denny, principal research engineer emeritus at the Georgia Tech Research Center, explained that EMC research began because of interference to military radios.

The exhibit floor offered several presentations in addition to a product exhibition. One demonstration featured probes designed to measure resistance in galvanized metal plates used as equipment enclosures.

Agilent Technologies demonstrated several recently released products, including the E4440A PSA series of spectrum analyzers and N9039A preselector. Teseq (formerly Schaffner EMC) introduced new products including the NSG 437, a lower-cost version of the company’s ESD simulator. The company also introduced the NSG 4070, a conducted immunity tester that combines a signal generator, an amplifier, and control software.

California Instruments exhibited the Compact i/iX combination AC/DC power source and spectrum analyzer. Kikusui demonstrated its KHA1000 harmonic and flicker analyzer.

NIWeek, August 7–9, Austin, TX, National Instruments, www.niweek.com.

NIWeek 2007 attracted more than 2400 attendees to Austin, where keynote demonstrations covered LabView 8.5 (see News Briefs item, "LabView runs across processor cores") and its ability to work with multicore processors. Other demonstrations included an FPGA-based audio recorder and a thought-controlled wheelchair.

Technical sessions included programming techniques for Windows Vista, bus comparisons, and oscilloscope selection. During the Vista presentation, NI’s Noel Adorna asked if any audience members were using Vista and asked for comments. “It’s a bit of a pain to upgrade, but it’s more secure than Windows XP,” said one attendee.

The exhibition hall featured numerous companies displaying camera and inspection equipment, including Allied Vision Technologies, Basler, FLIR Systems, Hitachi, Navitar, New Electronic Technology, Princeton Instruments, Prosilica, and Sony.

Test-system integrators were also on hand. DAQtron introduced the Trident Suite of digital video broadcast generators. MicroLex Systems exhibited a PXI-based video tester for baseband digital video streams. Mindready demonstrated configurable test systems for audio, RF, and functional test, including an RF signal record and playback system. Boston Engineering introduced an electronics platform consisting of a CPU board and a data-acquisition module.