Prober Checks 25-Micron Bumps

Stacked, three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuits (ICs) promise a great deal of electronic functionality in tight spaces, but they also challenge the best capabilities of the test-and-measurement companies to characterize these devices. Rising to that challenge, wafer probe specialist Cascade Microtech and top nanoelectronic research center imec have teamed to develop solutions for proving 3D ICs to the level of 25-micron-diameter microbumps. By means of a Joint Development Agreement, Cascade partnered with imec to characterize a test wafer with its automated model CM300 probe station with an advanced version of its Pyramid Probe® technology. The 3D semiconductor market is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years, supporting markets in computing, defense, and medical fields.