Product category:
ATE Systems
News Release from: Keithley Instruments | Subject: S400DC/RF
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 25 September 2001
DC and RF come together in a single ATE
New from Keithley Instruments is a single-insertion RF and DC parametric test solution for probing communications and high-speed digital wafer devices.
New from Keithley Instruments is a single-insertion RF and DC parametric test solution for probing communications and high-speed digital wafer devices When used with a suitable test structure layout, the Model S400DC/RF ATE system can execute DC and RF tests independently and in parallel, thereby greatly reducing the cost of test on today's advanced wafer processes
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 4 Dec 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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Because of tight integration of DC and RF measurements with a single prober, the Model S400DC/RF achieves up to a 10-fold increase in throughput compared with rack-and-stack parametric systems using separate DC and RF test operations.
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Keithley Model S400 ATE Systems are widely used by semiconductor manufacturers to assure reliability in product designs and processes by measuring critical device parameters during development, characterization, and production.
The standard Model S400DC/RF configurations expand these capabilities to include both DC and RF measurements for applications such as device modelling, process monitoring, and general analysis of complex signals up to 40GHz.
For applications at frequencies above 40GHz, semicustom configurations are available.
With escalating demand for wide-bandwidth communications and faster digital device speeds, rapid testing of semiconductor devices at GHz frequencies is required to quickly reach the market with reliable products.
Still, DC parametric testing is also required.
This usually means extra cost and floor space for separate DC and RF tester/prober combinations.
The Model S400DC/RF not only reduces cost and floor space, it provides much higher measurement accuracy.
One reason is superior calibration - the VNA, interconnects, probe card adapter, probe card, and calibration substrate are specified and calibrated as a complete system.
This also helps eliminate the constant monitoring often required with fussy rack-and-stack systems, giving device modelling engineers and production test engineers more time for reliable data collection and analysis.
The Model S400DC/RF was developed in co-operation with leading manufacturers of telecommunications components, and the industry's foremost suppliers of VNA and DC/RF probe card systems.
By tightly integrating Anritsu Company's self-calibrating VNAs and GGB Industries' probe cards into the system, the Model S400DC/RF allows test throughput to increase by an order of magnitude compared to rack-and-stack systems.
Furthermore, test results can be easily imported into a variety of popular device modelling packages, such as BSIMPROT, IC-CAP, and UTMOST.
The Model S400DC/RF provides highly repeatable RF measurements of two-port/four-terminal power parameters (a1, a2, b1, and b2) that correlate well with results from other RF parametric test systems.
Its 1kHz frequency resolution makes it far easier to "dial in" the desired frequency than with typical rack-and-stack systems, which usually offer less resolution.
The Model S400DC/RF test environment (KTE v4.2) provides general analysis of complex signals, and allows user-defined combinations of a1, a2, b1, and b2.
The KTE USERLIB macros calculate s-parameters and perform standard reductions of s-parameters to RF parameters.
These include maximum frequency, transit time vs.
current, base resistance of a bipolar transistor, and inductor quality, which are often used for process monitoring.
DC accuracy is not compromised by the addition of RF measurement circuitry, which may be the case with rack-and-stack systems.
The Model S400DC/RF's inherent DC precision is 1pA and 10uV.
A SofTouch (Auto-Z) prober package ensures good electrical contact between the probe tips and device pads.
For improved data integrity, a burnishing algorithm supports automated cleaning of probe tips.
A high-speed (approximately 2min) system-level measurement calibration process eliminates the need to recalibrate for changes in test frequency or the number of data points.
With greater confidence in measurement results, fabs are able to eliminate redundant probing and test costs.
Keithley's Model S400DC/RF is available immediately as either an upgrade to an existing S400 System, or as a complete S400DC/RF ATE System. Request a free brochure from Keithley Instruments ...
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