Tektronix supports wide bandgap production with test and software
The S530 Series parametric test system with KTE 7 software maximises measurement performance and minimises cost to help semiconductor manufacturers compete in high-growth emerging markets, says Tektronix.
New semiconductor products based on emerging wide bandgap (WBG) technologies, such as GaN and SiC, offer the promise of faster switching speeds, wider temperature ranges and better power efficiency. The S530 platform enables semiconductor fabs to add parametric test capacity while minimising cap-ex investment and maximising wafers per hour efficiency. The reduced overall cost of ownership profile helps manufactures meet aggressive price pressures in competitive new markets.
To meet testing needs for these products, the KTE 7-based S530 platform has lab-grade measurement performance with minimal set-up and test time. Configurations up to 1100V can evolve as new applications emerge and requirements change, advises Tektronix. This allows chip manufacturers to cost-effectively and efficiently expand into high-growth power and WBG devices (including the automotive market), with minimal test/set-up time, on a single system, and with minimal investment.
“Analog and mixed-signal semiconductor manufacturers continue to experience strong demand from new end-use applications in 5G communications, automotive, IoT, medical, green energy, and other markets,” observed Chris Bohn, vice president and general manager at Keithley/Tektronix.
The S530-HV model enables testing up to 1100V on any pin to boost throughput by 50 per cent or more over competitive systems in power and WBG applications. Operators can connect any test resource to any test pin in any sequence to quickly and easily support production requirements without reconfiguring or re-tooling signal paths.
Chip manufacturers can test a wide mix of products with a single system, including automotive products per the IATF-16949 quality management standard. Calibration can be performed with minimal downtime in-house or through Tektronix’s service organisation.
The KTE7-based platform offers semiconductor manufacturers the easiest and most cost-effective migration path from legacy S600 and S400 systems, says Tektronix. It preserves full data correlation along with throughput improvements up to 25 per cent faster than the S600 model.
The optional test head for the S530-HV eliminates the operator time needed to change the instrumentation, probe card, and cabling test setup when moving from low voltage to high voltage wafer level tests. The test head enables probe card compatibility with multiple models from multiple vendors for fast card changing. It also allows to-the-pin calibration per ISO-17025, while maintaining backward compatibility. This minimises migration costs while supporting new requirements such as automotive standard IATF-16949.
Built-in transient over-voltage / over-current protection prevents accidental damage to probe cards, needles, and instrumentation.
During system calibration, the new 5880-SRU System Reference Unit automatically switches all DC and AC reference standards, eliminating the need to manually connect, disconnect, and reconnect. This fully automated process greatly reduces system downtime and resulting support costs when performing calibration, says Tektronix.
The S530 series parametric test system is now available worldwide.
