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• From silicon-based chips to quantum integration, can domestic probe stations be powerful?

After the wafer processing technology and before packaging, it is necessary to test all the small chip structures on the wafer to manage the existence of defects in the function.

Chip probing is through the probe and test machine work together, the function of the bare chip on the wafer and electrical parameters of the test, the test platform mainly includes test machine, probe bench, probe card and other equipment and materials.

The role of the probe station is mainly a responsible for the positioning of the wafer, so that the grains on the wafer in order to contact with the probe and information to analyze the test one by one.

Wafer design and packaging "Disciplinary Committee"

Probe testing (CP) plays an important role in how to ensure chip shipments and complete chip processing before chip shipment.

Probe stations allow users to place an electronic, optical or RF detector on a device and then test the device's response to an external stimulus (electronic, optical or RF). These tests can be as simple as continuity or isolation checks, or more complex full-featured tests involving complex microcircuits.

It is used in the processes of semiconductor chip probing (CP), design verification and final test (FT). The high quality, accuracy and cost-effectiveness of probe stations make their presence very important for companies manufacturing semiconductors:.

Probe for test data technology is the key information technology to detect chip performance and defects, ensure chip test accuracy, and improve the efficiency of managing chip test work;

Through the test probe with the measurement instrument can complete the integrated circuit voltage, current, resistance and capacitance voltage characteristic curve and other parameters detection;

In the design verification stage of the chip, the main task is to test whether the functions of the chip design can meet the technical specifications of the chip. During the testing process, the chip samples will be checked one by one, and only the product models that have passed the design verification will be mass-produced;

Chuck diameters ranging from 2 inches to 12 inches provide a small footprint and flexibility, making these systems ideal for R&D applications ranging from DC to RF to very high frequency. High and low temperature systems and a wide selection of micropositioners, probes, holders and microscopes provide solutions for every possible application;.

Can be applied to scientific analysis of chips, screening of superior and inferior chips, such as failure analysis, micromanipulator design verification engineering, wafer-level reliability, high power, device role shaping, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and signal integrity; and

Social security for companies to control chip quality, lock-in R&D time and manage manufacturing process costs;

Testing can be performed on the entire wafer or after the wafer has been sawn into individual chips.

The subunits of the probe table include: sample stage (carrier stage), optics, chuck, probe (probe card), probe fixture and cable assembly, and manipulator (positioner). Functionally, there are temperature-controlled probe stage, vacuum probe stage (ultra-low temperature probe stage), radio frequency probe stage, liquid crystal panel probe stage, Hall effect probe stage, surface resistivity probe stage. Probe tables are categorized into manual, semi-automatic and automatic.

The operation of the probe table can be done completely manually by the operator, but if the table and manipulator are motorized and the microscope is connected to a computer vision system, it can be semi-automated or fully automated. Chip-to-chip movement is automated using a motorized stage and machine vision to increase the productivity of the probing station and reduce the labor required to run multiple tests.

Wafer testing is typically performed in a wafer fab, package test facility, or specialized test foundry, and the primary equipment used are testers and probe stations. Probe stations have many uses in R&D, product development and failure analysis. Engineers need a flexible and accurate probe bench to improve quality and efficiency.

In the course of development history, along with the changes in wafer size, accuracy, resolution, test working principle, the probe table presents will continue to evolve towards high precision, automation and segmentation. Involves through a variety of technology applications, will be from the main including student logic, memory, to 5G, devices, MEMS, advanced information packaging and photonics research display, expanding to silicon photonics, quantum scientific computing a chip.

Photonic integrated circuits (PIC) is the next generation of optical and quantum communication systems key devices. The Photonic Integrated Circuit Automated Probe Test Platform simplifies PIC testing and characterization, performs simple testing of power meters and light sources required for silicon photonic device development, integrates advanced automated testing early in the design process and throughout the development process, and shortens the design and test cycle.

At the end of Moore's Law, silicon-based semiconductors will have quantum integrated circuits. In order to realize efficient production of quantum chips, fast and accurate measurement of quantum bit resistance is needed, and then the quality of the quantum chips will be evaluated to increase the yield of quantum chips.

China's first quantum chip production line has adopted the first NDPT-100 non-destructive probe electrical measurement platform dedicated to quantum chip production, or "NDPT" for short, which can realize fast and accurate measurement of quantum bit resistance.

Competitive development pattern of probe station and progress of domestic technology

Probe station is one of the key links in semiconductor testing, and its market value and market competition are becoming increasingly fierce. For decades, the global semiconductor test equipment sector has been mainly dominated by international manufacturers. According to the organization's estimates, in 2022, the global probe market size was $853 million, and the domestic probe market size was RMB 1.569 billion.

In 2022, the domestic probe market size of 1.569 billion yuan RMB, Japan's two major companies accounted for 60% of the share. Although the technology, products and scale of China's probe stations still have a certain gap with the international leading level. However, in recent years, under the stimulation of the test market demand, all low-end products in the exploration station have been replaced by domestic enterprises, are being imported and applied to the high-end market.

For downstream wafer enterprise customers have been looking for cost-effective, reliable probes, the dependence on the supply of high-end foreign products. As the probe station in China has not yet mature products, still mainly imported. Probe station has not yet become the U.S.-Japanese alliance of "national security" key, domestic enterprises are still scrambling to import and storage of Japanese testing equipment, in case of future danger. Semi-automatic, fully automatic 12-inch wafer probe station is the most important imported products for domestic companies with testing business and demand.

Domestic companies are deeply worried and have accelerated the R&D and commercialization of high-end probe tables. In the high-precision positioning platform, high rigidity wafer carrying platform, high-resolution downward-looking camera (probe camera) and downward-looking camera (wafer camera), fully automated loading and unloading of wafers, pin alignment and high-precision insertion of pins, with the tester to complete the quality of the integrated circuits on the wafers to be inspected. 8-inch and 12-inch Probe Stations products are supplied to the leading domestic packaging factories, design firms and third-party testing companies. Considering the security of the supply chain, the latter are also increasing the procurement of domestic equipment.