High density photolithographic Advanprobe/spl trade/ 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/spl trade/ technology for high parallelism, at-speed wafer level probing. The PhotoFinger/spl trade/ probecard is a product within the Advanprobe/spl trade/ technology series. Introduction to the PhotoFinger/spl trade/ probecard's system level design, the structure and mechanical performance, as well as the electrical characteristic are offered in this article.