Development of MEMS RF semiconductor test probe
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Glasgow
Department Name: School of Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
All semi-condutor devices are tested, while on the wafer, with the use of fine-pitch probe needles to confirm their electrical performance. The needle connects the semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) to a test system via a probe card. The needles need to connect all the inputs and outputs (I/Os) of the IC and are therefore required for DC power, low frequency and high frequency data connections. The 5G, fifth generation, mobile network is under development and will increase the demand on semiconductor testing to frequencies unto 100 GHz. The ICs for 5G systems will required fine-pitched I/Os to allow them to be housed compactly in a phone. This requires fine-pitch high frequency (RF) capable semiconductor probe-needles.
This project will perform the necessary early stage development of a fine-pitch RF probe needle, based on the fine-pitch DC probe needle manufacturing technology developed in an STFC IPS grant, coupled with the expertise the PI has gained in high frequency data transmission from the LHC upgrade projects (ATLAS ITk and LHCb Velo).
The needle will have a finer pitch from the present state-of-the-art RF needles with high performance up to a frequency of 100GHz. This will enable reduced pitch of the I/O pads of the ICs that will underpin 5G telecommunications and allow IC miniaturisation and RF testing during mass production.
This project will perform the necessary early stage development of a fine-pitch RF probe needle, based on the fine-pitch DC probe needle manufacturing technology developed in an STFC IPS grant, coupled with the expertise the PI has gained in high frequency data transmission from the LHC upgrade projects (ATLAS ITk and LHCb Velo).
The needle will have a finer pitch from the present state-of-the-art RF needles with high performance up to a frequency of 100GHz. This will enable reduced pitch of the I/O pads of the ICs that will underpin 5G telecommunications and allow IC miniaturisation and RF testing during mass production.
Description | The ability to simulate and manufacture RF semiconductor test probes has been obtained |
Exploitation Route | We are commercialising the technology via a university spin-out company TauProbes Ltd |
Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Electronics,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
Description | We have used the information for building technological capacity for the spin-out company TauProbes Ltd. |
First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
Sector | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Electronics,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
Impact Types | Societal |
Description | EARLY STAGE COVID PRE-SEED GRANT HIGH GROWTH SPIN-OUT PROGRAMME |
Amount | £65,600 (GBP) |
Funding ID | SE-202101323 |
Organisation | Scottish Enterprise |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2020 |
End | 03/2021 |
Description | Impact Acceleration Account - CMP of CVD W wafers |
Amount | £17,325 (GBP) |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2018 |
End | 02/2019 |
Description | Impact Acceleration Account - Finite analysis modelling of tungsten semiconductor probe needles manufactured with a MEMS process |
Amount | £19,963 (GBP) |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2021 |
End | 12/2021 |
Description | Impact Acceleration Account - Semiconductor probe needle development |
Amount | £29,816 (GBP) |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2020 |
End | 11/2020 |
Description | NanoProbe - disrupting the semiconductor test probe market |
Amount | £121,332 (GBP) |
Organisation | Scottish Enterprise |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 07/2019 |
End | 09/2020 |
Description | NanoProbe - disrupting the semiconductor test probe market - Covid-19 Extension |
Amount | £65,600 (GBP) |
Organisation | Scottish Enterprise |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2020 |
End | 03/2021 |
Description | NxNW: Innovation to Commercialisation of University Research ([CURe) Programme |
Amount | £78,942 (GBP) |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 07/2018 |
End | 01/2019 |
Description | Industrial collaboration on the development of probe needles |
Organisation | PETA Solutions |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | We are in the process of developing probe needles for the semiconductor wafer test market. The company makes these and markets them. We are preforming a development of needles that they will eventually manufacture. |
Collaborator Contribution | They have given us guidance and supplied technical know-how. |
Impact | Still at an early stage. Small, fine-pitch probe needles. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Probe testing |
Organisation | NIDEC CORPORATION |
Department | Nidec SV Probe Pte Ltd |
Country | Singapore |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | We are working on the development of probe needles |
Collaborator Contribution | probe design and test |
Impact | probe designs and test data |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | development of CVD tungsten films on silicon wafers |
Organisation | ARCHER |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | We are in the process of developing CVD tungsten films on silicon wafers. We have push the development and tested the films electrically and mechanically. We are extending the film development to include W-Re CVD layers. |
Collaborator Contribution | They are performing the CVD runs. they have updated their CVD processing equipment to allow them to process the W films in a more reliable fashion. They are in the process of updating their reactor to allow W-Re deposition. |
Impact | We have made better films. We have started to further this development to look at WRe films. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Title | MICROMACHINED MECHANICAL PART AND METHODS OF FABRICATION THEREOF |
Description | The present invention relates primarily to a method of fabrication of one or more free-standing micromachined parts. The method includes performing reactive ion etching of photoresist and tungsten-based layers supported on a carrier substrate to thereby define one or more micromachined parts, followed by separating the resulting one or more micromachined parts from the carrier substrate such that the parts are free-standing. The invention also relates to tungsten-based microprobe obtainable by such a method, wherein the microprobe has a substantially square or rectangular cross-section in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the microprobe, and to probe cards comprising a plurality of such microprobes. |
IP Reference | WO2022008436 |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | 2022 |
Licensed | Yes |
Impact | Gu has formed a spin-out company and the IP has been licenced to them. |
Title | Semiconductor probe needle |
Description | New manufacturing process for a semiconductor test probe needle resulting in a superior product |
Type Of Technology | New/Improved Technique/Technology |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Impact | We are in the process of spinning out a company. The company will take the product to market to improve semiconductor wafer test |
Company Name | TAUPROBES LTD |
Description | Design and manufacture of semiconductor test probes |
Year Established | 2021 |
Impact | We have a new probe manufacturing technology |
Website | http://www.tauprobe.com/ |