LIVERMORE, Calif., Feb. 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — To address the wafer test challenges of 2.5/3D advanced packaging technologies, FormFactor, Inc. (NASDAQ:FORM), a leading semiconductor test and measurement supplier, today introduced the Altius™ vertical MEMS probe card. Altius supports ultra-low force probing at 45 µm grid-array contact pitch, with a scalable roadmap for future IC package pitch reduction. It enables cost-effective wafer or die test of a variety of components in a heterogenous integrated system, from validating at-speed performance of high bandwidth memory (HBM), to ensuring the integrity of high-density interconnects such as silicon interposers and embedded bridges.

Adoption of advanced packaging is accelerating as the benefit of the classic Moore’s Law transistor shrink diminishes. Advanced packages enable the heterogenous integration of multiple different die through high-density interconnects, for improved device performance and smaller footprint.  Advanced packaging architectures are augmenting Moore’s Law to meet the demands for greater connectivity, computing power, speed, and cost-effectiveness in applications such as 5G, IoT, and artificial intelligence. According to Yole Développement, the overall advanced packaging market will grow at an 8% CAGR, reaching almost US$44 billion in 2024*.

“Advanced packaging and heterogenous integration raise the bar for wafer test; increasing both complexity and coverage. The contact pattern for wafer probe is generally two to four times denser than a monolithic die and higher quality test is required to ensure a bad chip does not ‘kill’ several otherwise good chips in the same advanced package,” said Mike Slessor, CEO of FormFactor.  “The Altius probe card, with its scalable MEMS probe technology, helps accelerate our customers’ yield improvement on these new manufacturing processes while meeting their aggressive pitch reduction roadmaps.”

The Altius probe card’s core capabilities include:

  • Minimum grid-array pitch of 45 µm
  • Ultra-low probe force for direct probing on copper through silicon vias or solder microbumps, ~1 gram per probe at operating overtravel with best-in-class contact resistance stability
  • Support for HBM known-good-die or known-good-stack test, >=3 Gbps test speed
  • Scalable for multi-site test to increase throughput, X4 capable for HBM
  • Configurable with Hybrid MEMS probes for mixed-pitch microbump layout

To request more information about Altius, visit www.formfactor.com/contact-sales.

*Source: Status of the Advanced Packaging Industry, 2019 Report, Yole Développement, 2019.

About FormFactor
FormFactor, Inc. (NASDAQ:FORM), is a leading provider of essential test and measurement technologies along the full IC life cycle – from characterization, modeling, reliability, and design debug, to qualification and production test. Semiconductor companies rely upon FormFactor’s products and services to accelerate profitability by optimizing device performance and advancing yield knowledge. The Company serves customers through its network of facilities in Asia, Europe, and North America. For more information, visit the Company’s website at www.formfactor.com.

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