Advantest and JEM’s award-winning presentation—judged the best in a field of 29 entries at SWTW 2012—was entitled “Full Wafer Contact Breakthrough with Ultra-High Pin Count.” The presentation described the two companies’ joint development of technology to enable one touchdown testing, using existing MEMS probe arrays and a new vacuum based system, the Vacuum Probe Contact System, in Very high-pin count wafer probing applications. The companies have demonstrated successful contact with 300mm wafers and are working to extend the technological breakthrough to 450mm wafers.
The Best Overall Presentation Award from SWTW 2012 underlines the need for test technology to address cost and reliability concerns around Very high-pin count wafer probing applications and the transition to 450mm. Advantest and JEM plan to commercialize their new technology for flash memory, DRAM, microcontroller, and SoC wafer test, as well as future 2.5D/3D IC processes.