Cascade Microtech Introduces M150 Measurement Platform

Cascade Microtech has brought its high-performance measurement capability, from DC to 220 GHz, to a 150mm device measurement platform for measuring anything from semiconductor wafers, ICs, printed circuit boards and MEMS to bioscience devices - all on a single platform.

The M150 Measurement Platform is designed to offer unprecedented customer flexibility to switch between applications within minutes and saves the expense of buying a new measurement station for each discrete application.

"I'm now using the M150 for failure analysis and soon plan to switch over for gallium arsenide (GaAs) process characterization," said Corey Nevers, Technology Development, TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc., Hillsboro, Oregon.

"With the new set platen- chuck offset and its probe options, the M150 is very easy to change for more advanced on-wafer characterization."

"Now we don't need two stations with two sets of probes. It's so easy to switch applications on the fly. The new platen design is especially helpful."

The M150 Measurement Platform is customer configurable with interchangeable standard parts and accessories optimized for specific measurement needs.

The M150 helps customers solve device problems such as those related to power consumption, operating frequency, signal isolation, signal integrity and channel bandwidth.

The M150 Measurement Platform is designed for customers who are: Working in semiconductor fabs, yield departments, failure analysis, process engineering and device modeling;

- Working on process characterization of III-V compound semiconductors such as gallium arsenide, silicon germanium, and indium phosphide for RF, microwave and millimeter wave applications;

- Working with signal integrity issues on PCBs and high-speed interconnects;

- Working with emerging technologies to accurately position, navigate and view their analysis for applications such as lab-on-a-chip, microfluidics, organic transistors, polytec neurons, MEMS devices and other biostructures; and

- University labs around the world doing R&D on semiconductor devices and processors.

The M150 Measurement Platform is completely compatible with the Cascade Microtech L-Series Microfluidics Metrology Systems and will be used as the station of choice for all L-Series life sciences applications.

Announced in August 2005 by Cascade Microtech, the L-Series Microfluidics Metrology Systems represent a significant leap forward in life sciences research methodology that is based on two products - the L-series MFP and EBP Microports™ (tiny fluid and electrical field delivery mechanisms) - developed exclusively by Cascade Microtech.

The patent-pending Microports are based on micron-level probing technology developed by Cascade Microtech.

The technology advancement represented by the use of the Microports enables scientists to dispense liquid or create an electrical field on a tiny workspace in a way never imagined for microfluidics research applications.

The M150 Measurement Platform offers two ways to buy - by choosing one of the application-specific preconfigured packages for DC, RF, failure analysis, PCB test or millimeter wave packages, as well as a way to build your own system optimized to your application.

Cascade Microtech has simplified the entire purchase process to allow a single prober to be expanded with accessories.

Customers can buy a system by purchasing a prober bundle and an accessory bundle for their application of choice. Customers have the flexibility to add on new accessory bundles to later modify any of the standard bundles below.

Thus, any system bundle is infinitely expandable as no one system locks in or limits the measurement capabilities of the future.