Specifically designed for matrix and high-parallel probing, JEM's vertical-contact probe card (VCPC) significantly reduces the time required to test semiconductor wafers resulting in dramatically increased throughput for manufacturers. JEM's VCPC not only maintains planarity and alignment over time and use, it also provides uniform contact force at all probes regardless of layout. Announcement of the new JEM VCPC was made at the industry trade show SEMICON Taiwan.
"Reducing test time per wafer is critical and becomes even more important as DRAM manufacturers move into 300 mm production," according to Carol Lemlein, product manager for DRAM probe test systems at Teradyne. "Increasing parallelism is a key strategy for improving test economics. However, acceptance of a new test system that doubles or quadruples parallelism depends on having fully qualified production-ready solutions from multiple suppliers at the time of introduction."
Teradyne has been working with JEM and other DRAM probe card suppliers to increase parallelism for a decade. Simon Longson, Teradyne's Memory Interface Development Manager, describes how Teradyne's approach is changing. "Proactive joint development is a requirement. We used this approach successfully on the recently introduced FLASH 750(TM) Memory Test System. Probe card vendors were involved early in the design of the probe card, then we jointly qualified the test cell through a rigorous process which included everything from prober integration to probe mark analysis using the Semi G78-0699 Test Method."
Moving beyond 64 in parallel for the next DRAM probe system has presented an even greater challenge, Longson continued. "We've had to develop innovative new approaches to be certain we can provide a highly reliable interface with over 10,000 contacts. Once again, JEM has been there with us all through the process. When our first customer takes delivery of a DRAM probe system supporting the JEM 80 in parallel VCPC card, they will have a proven test solution ready for production."
About JEM
JEM (Japan Electronic Materials) is a publicly traded company headquartered in Osaka, Japan. Since 1970, the worldwide JEM Group has supplied superior probe cards and card-to-tester interfaces to leading semiconductor manufacturers. The company has manufactured probe cards for devices in technologies such as: Linear, Memory, Gate Array, Microprocessor, Power IC, ASIC, LCD, Thermal Head, Diode, Array, Optical IC, ECL, and GaAs.
Over the past twelve years, JEM Group has expanded extensively in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. JEM America Corp. is a subsidiary of JEM. Headquartered in Fremont, California, JEM America Corp. has offices in Austin, Texas and a Research and Development facility in Foster City, California. To learn more about JEM America's high quality probe cards, visit www.jemam.com.
About Teradyne
Teradyne is the world's largest supplier of automatic test equipment and related software for the electronics and telecommunications industries and a leading supplier of high-performance backplane assemblies and connectors. Its products and services address the test requirements of a broad range of semiconductors, electronic assemblies, telephone access networks and software applications. Teradyne supports its products through an extensive service and applications engineering network, with technical centers located throughout the United States, Europe, and the Pacific Rim. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Teradyne reported sales of approximately $1.8 billion in 1999 and currently has approximately 8,000 employees worldwide. Teradyne's World Wide Web address is www.teradyne.com.
“Reducing test time per wafer is critical and becomes even more important as DRAM manufacturers move into 300 mm production”
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