High density photolithographic Advanprobe™ technology

Wafer level probing trends push high speed and high parallelism to reduce test cost and improve productivity. This in turn challenges design and fabrication technology for probecard manufacturing. New technology and the incorporation of new fabrication processes are intuitive approaches to tackling these challenges. Photolithographic MEMS (micro-electrical-mechanical-system) technologies and micro-machining techniques offer numerous, innovative applications in probecard manufacturing. By adopting photolithographic technology, Advantest has developed its Advanprobe™ technology for high parallelism, at-speed wafer level probing. The PhotoFinger™ probecard is a product within the Advanprobe™ technology series. Introduction to the PhotoFinger™ probecard´s system level design, the structure and mechanical performance, as well as the electrical characteristic are offered in this article.