Cascade Microtech’s Pyramid Probe Cards are rugged, robust, and well-suited to the fundamental challenge of high-performance production wafer probing – applications include; RF, High Speed Digital, Mixed Signal, DC and RF Parametric and a variety of Multi-DUT offerings.

Addressing the increasingly complex test challenges brought on by today’s SoC and RF devices, Cascade Microtech’s Pyramid Accel debug fixture provides a unique and innovative approach for accelerating the development of test programs by up to 30%.

Cascade Microtech’s parametric probe card solutions deliver high-precision parametric measurements with extremely low leakage current and accurate RF measurements. The industry’s smallest probe tip provides the ability to probe smaller pads for process monitoring in production.

Cascade Microtech’s Pyramid Product Group has developed its next-generation PDC50 DC parametric Pyramid Probe cards as the higher-performance, lower-cost alternative to existing industry solutions. Designed to enable the accurate monitoring of 65nm and 45nm parametric test structures, the PDC50 is compatible with both the Agilent 4070/4080 Series and Keithley S600 Series.

Cascade Microtech’s RF production probe card solutions provide state-of- the-art signal integrity for RF/microwave production test. Microstrip transmission lines maintain impedance control all the way to the bond pad.

Cascade Microtech’s advanced logic (SiP/SoC) production probe card solutions reduce the cost of test through enhanced throughput, reduced maintenance and increased yields; enabled through large multi-DUT probe surfaces, permanent probe alignment, superior electrical performance and long life. Pyramid Probe cards are designed for both bond pad and flip chip bump applications. Pyramid SiP/SoC logic probe card product line allows at-speed testing of large scale ICs at die sort.

Developed with a subset of features from available Pyramid Probes, plus a simplified design and build process, P30 RF Pyramid Probe card is a superior, cost-effective alternative to coaxial-style RF probe cards for high-volume testing of RF filters and switches.

An effective cleaning regimen of Pyramid Probe cards using Cascade Microtech provided brush can help prevent probing errors and avoid device damage.

Pyramid Probe cards may collect contaminants that make cleaning necessary. The cleaning frequency and intensity required to keep a Pyramid Probe operating at its peak efficiency are primarily related to the probing environment. As a result, the exact formula for cleaning Pyramid Probe cards must be determined individually for each application. This application note starts with some general comments about cleaning Pyramid Probe cards and the contaminants that may be found in probing environments.

This application note presents an electrical model for a microstrip Pyramid Probe transmission line. Two schematic models are presented, utilizing Agilent’s Advanced Design System (ADS).

This application note reveals the steps required to perform the LRRM calibration technique in your characterization lab. With proactive planning and proper reference standards, this technique is suitable with Pyramid Probe for measurements in the 1-20+ GHz range.

This application note reveals one of the most straightforward methods of performing a calibration, using a general-purpose Impedance Standard Substrate (ISS) and the SOLR technique. This is suitable for Pyramid Probe applications in the 1-12 GHz range.

"Cascade’s Membrane Probe technology gives us the ability to do wafer-level, at-speed testing of our high data rate devices in a production environment. This will help significantly reduce overall manufacturing costs of very high performance digital devices,” says Dr. Gordon Roper, chief engineer for TriQuint Semiconductor.

The method of tightening a Pyramid Core into a probe card has been studied. Data shows that using a torque driver results in seven times more repeatable first to last over travel (FTL), and 25% smaller FTL. It is recommended that all cores be torqued to remove FTL variation using a specified process.

Pyramid ProbesTM provide the best electrical performance of any probe technology, thanks to their use of thin film to route controlled impedance lines and the ability to place bypass capacitors close to the device under test. One of the less well known advantages of Pyramid probes, however, is the mechanical stability of probe tips in the x-y plane. Due to differences in the ways cantilever probes and Pyramid probes are constructed, Pyramid probes are more positionally accurate than cantilever probes, and r

GORE`s "UHD" (Ultra High Density) Interconnect System provides increased packaging density (0.120" signal centers), at high data rates (6GHz + capable), with fast rise time performance (20% / 80% ~=55pS). The interconnect system consists of PCB mounted interposers/headers and low-loss coaxial assemblies which can be ganged together in multi-position housings.

Pyramid Probe cards operate in an environment that typically includes an ATE tester with docking head, an autoprober, and an interface module with several components.

Understanding the size and shape of structures on Pyramid Probe cores and boards is crucial to minimizing contact resistance and pad damage. This application note describes the important geometric features of the various probe tips and core-to-board interface of Pyramid Probe cards. Probe tips, made from a proprietary, non-oxidizing nickel alloy, are differentiated by the type and arrangement of metals they probe.

Shrinking geometries and increasing performance requirements are driving the need for testing with reduced parasitics and cleaner power supplies. One of the unique features of Pyramid Probes is the ability to place components on the thin film closer to the DUT than with other probe technologies. This tech brief describes the reduced footprint structure to attach bypass caps (or any shunt component).

Complex integrated circuits (ICs) can provide many functions in a small space. These same benefits that allow engineers to shrink portable and wireless designs also make it difficult to perform at-speed, on-wafer testing of these ICs. Fortunately, Pyramid Probe™ cards from Cascade Microtech (Beaverton, OR) provide a solution for at-speed, on-wafer testing of high-speed analog, digital, and mixed-signal ICs.

This paper outlines a number of the most common issues involved with preparing a probe card for Known Good Die (KGD) RF test. These include managing complex impedance, isolation between RF ports, and establishing a plan for RF calibration. For each issue, proactive planning will improve the test accuracy, coverage and repeatability on the test floor.

As microwave frequency IC's have become mainstream products for TI, techniques to improve production efficiencies need to be considered very early in the product program. In this paper, a high frequency (1.9GHz) probing solution on the A5x ATE is discussed with the example of a highly integrated DECT Transceiver RFIC. Probe setup and probe card technology are presented. On-wafer-calibration implementation and measurement correlation results are discussed. Benefits of probing microwave parameters as well as

Traditional coaxial-needle probe cards have difficulty in incorporating combiner structures and generally have poor bypassing capability at high frequencies. In this paper, we will demonstrate how membrane probes can incorporate these features with minimal parasitic effects and conduct accurate and fast testing of power amplifiers at Ka-band.

Integration of RF and digital functions will make future wireless systems more affordable. The increase of such integration, however, will continue to challenge even the most ingenuous test engineers. Fortunately, the engineers at Cascade Microtech (Beaverton, OR) have risen to this challenge developing a cost-effective membrane wafer probe. The probe offers 36 lines, 20-GHz bandwidth, and power ground lines with much lower impedance than similar lines on conventional needle probes.

This paper describes the hardware solution tradeoffs in testing RF devices on-wafer in a production environment using ATE. The options, which are available today, will be compared with respect to RF measurement integrity and product worthiness.

A membrane probe capable of determining large signal power handling capabilities of discrete and partially matched large periphery FETs at microwave frequencies has been developed. This paper describes the application and implementation of a membrane probe for a 15.7-mm partially matched 6W-power amplifier MMIC that employs off-chip-matching networks for a high volume multichip module application.

Cascade Microtech has adapted membrane technology to meet challenges posed by the testing of dies with increasingly smaller architectures. This probe has 15mm diameter probe tips, is self-cleaning and offers placement accuracy within a few microns, better contact resistance and longer probing life, enabling on-wafer functional test for clock rates above 500 MHz.

Pyramid probe design capture sheet. Fill out your device type, application, technology, and core and board types.

Cascade Microtech’s Pyramid Probe Card solutions are renowned for delivering high-precision parametric measurement capability to the semiconductor industry’s most advanced fabrication facilities. Pyramid Probes offer custom pad layout configurations, low and stable contact resistance, extremely low leakage, fast settling time and dimensional stability across small pad sizes. These advanced features enable accurate and repeatable parametric measurements for process monitoring and characterization.

This User Guide describes what to look for during visual inspection of new Pyramid Probe cores.

This User Guide describes what to look for during visual inspection on used Pyramid Probe cores. By definition, once a Pyramid Probe core has touched down on a wafer, it is considered “Used.”