February News

Multitest Announces First Quarter Firsts

Multitest, a designer and manufacturer of final test equipment, announced it has shipped its first MT9510 x16, a tri-temp 16-site pick-and-place platform to a high volume test site in Asia. Early last month, the company also announced it had shipped the first Multitest MEMS equipment for the MT9510 pick-and-place test handler to an IDM in the U.S.

Based on the technology of the well-established MT95XX platform, the MT9510 x16 leverages Multitest's knowhow in temperature testing and DUT handling to support high parallel test for the complete temperature range from -55 to +175°C. The MT9510 x16 transfers the advantages of the standard MT9510 XP to a 16-site test solution. The system is reported to be easily adaptable for packages such as QFP, QFN, BGA, PGA, and others, and features various options for advanced ESD protection. RF testing as well as Kelvin testing is fully supported.

The MEMS/MT9510 combination is based on two well-established platforms and will reportedly be used for MEMS gyroscope test. This setup leverages the company's MEMS test expertise as well as a thorough understanding of the challenges in DUT handling.

EV Group Launches Second-Gen Mask Alignment System for LED Manufacturing

Just a year after the introduction of EVG620HBL, its first generation fully automated mask alignment system for volume manufacturing of high-brightness LEDs, EV Group has introduced the EVG620HBL Gen II, the second generation tool platform tailored to address HB-LED customer-specific needs and the ongoing demand of total cost-of-ownership (CoO) reduction. The EVG620HBL Gen II was designed to optimize tool footprint in the fab—delivering 55% higher wafer output for every square meter of cleanroom space compared to competitive offerings.

"The HB-LED market is dynamic and fast changing, and our customers constantly need innovative solutions to ensure their output and capital investments are being maximized," noted Dr. Thomas Uhrmann, business development manager for EV Group. "Having already built a proven platform that is now a de-facto industry standard with our first-generation mask alignment tool, we expect the EVG620HBL Gen II will further widen the economical gap over competitive offerings." Today, EVG's bonders and mask aligners are being deployed by four of the top five major HB-LED manufacturers.

The EVG620HBL Gen II is outfitted with a host of new features aimed at satisfying high-volume manufacturing (HVM) customers' specific demands for maximizing yield and reducing cost including:

• Enhanced microscope supporting automated mask pattern search to further reduces mask setup and change time;
• Updated robotic handling layout with wafer mapping capability to supports the demand for wafer traceability;
• Improved alignment capability (line alignment), which leverages the grids that mark single LEDs for orientation;
• Reduced system footprint, which optimizes total CoO for operation and increases the wafer per footprint index.

Together, these key enhancements to the EVG620HBL Gen II enable a reported 20% reduction in cost-per-processed wafer compared to competitive offerings.

CEA-Leti Launches Open 3DTM Initiative

French research institute, CEA-Leti announced the launch of a major new platform that provides industrial and academic partners with a global offer of mature 3D innovative technologies for their advanced products and research projects.the launch of a major new platform that provides industrial and academic partners with a global offer of mature 3D innovative technologies for their advanced products and research projects. The global offer includes 3D design, layout, technologies including interconnections, TSV and components assembly, reliability tests and final packaging for components or systems achievement, leveraging Leti's proven "off-the-shelf" 3D technologies.

The platform is intended to enables customers to achieve proof of concept with a small quantity of wafers or prototyping with a larger quantity. The offer is based on limited mature technologies in order to ensure moderate costs, short cycle times and performances corresponding to the initial technical requirements of Leti customers. Open 3DTM also operates directly on active wafers with embedded components or on passive wafers for interposer technologies.

"Open 3D leverages Leti's proven 3D expertise and infrastructure for collaborations that address new applications and markets, as a key new part of Leti's mission to create innovation and transfer it to industry," said Laurent Malier, CEO of Leti. "Our partners will include laboratories, universities and international research institutes as well as fabless chip companies and niche market manufacturers and integrators." Operated on the Minatec Campus in Grenoble with Leti teams and technological platforms, Open 3D(TM) is fully operational for 200mm wafers and will be operational in 2012 for 300mm wafers.

BGA Socket Line Makes for a Quick Connection

Ironwood Electronics has introduced a high-performance BGA socket product line using a unique elastomer that is reportedly capable of high speed, low inductance, high endurance and wide temperature applications. This socket line allows for quick and easy socketing of 16x16mm, 0.8mm pitch BGA packages on any application board with a reported performance equivalent to direct solder version.

The socket is designed for 16X16 mm package size and operates at bandwidths up to 40 GHz with less than 1dB of insertion loss. Designed to dissipate few watts with a compression screw, it can be customized up to 100 watt with a modified fin design on top of the screw and adding an axial flow fan. The contact resistance is typically 15 milliohms per pin. The socket connects all pins with 40 GHz bandwidth. and is mounted on the target PCB with no soldering for the industry's smallest footprint (only 2.5mm more on each side). The socket is constructed with shoulder screw and swivel lid which incorporates a quick insertion method so that ICs can be changed out quickly. The SM-BGA-9006 socket is constructed with a high performance and low inductance elastomer contactor, has a temperature range is -55 C to +150 C, and works with IC's such as STM's LFBGA, 16x16mm with 19X19 array and 0.8mm pitch.

Plasma-Therm Earns Five Star Rating by VLSI Research

Plasma-Therm announced it was awarded the distinguished Five Star rating from VLSI Research, well-known provider of market research and economic analysis on the technical, business, and economic aspects within nanotechnology and related industries. Plasma-Therm manufactures advanced plasma processing equipment focusing on specialty semiconductor markets including R&D, solid state lighting, data storage, renewable energy, MEMS, nanotechnology and compound semiconductors.

The five star rating recognizes companies that received the highest ratings from their customers and performed exceptionally across all rating categories including customer service, organizational performance, and equipment performance. Plasma-Therm is considered a top performer among semiconductor equipment companies and joins a select group of companies so honored.

"We are very pleased by the VLSI 5 star rating," said Rich Gauldin, Director of Customer Focus. "Accomplishing this superior rating is testament to Plasma-Therm's hard work and dedication in our immediate market."

This announcement comes on the heels of the news that Plasma-Therm is a finalist for the 2011 Manufacturer of the Year Award, a prestigious honor recognizing a commitment to excellence in the manufacturing business. A total of sixteen finalists were chosen in four categories for the award. The areas of focus included: leadership, strategic planning, customer and market focus, measurement, analysis and knowledge. Winners were announced at the Annual Manufacturers' Summit and Global Marketplace on December 1, 2011 in Orlando, Florida.