What Is a Wafer Prober?

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December 1, 2021

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Before silicon wafer manufacturers assemble silicon dies into packages, they conduct a wafer sorting testing process. Since wafer sorting aims to identify ineffective wafers, it provides valuable feedback that can significantly impact wafer fabrication, quality control, production control, and product engineering. This simple electrical test requires using a piece of equipment called a wafer prober.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Wafer Probers

What Exactly Is It?

A wafer prober is a system used for electrical testing of the wafers of individual chips. It carries out the loading and handling process while ensuring precise wafer positioning. A vacuum is applied to the backside of each wafer as it is mounted on a round plate called a wafer chuck.  

The wafers are then moved into electrical contact with a set of microscopic needles called a probe card. Once this measuring instrument transmits test signals to the devices on a wafer, they return the signals to it.

What Are Its Uses for Research and Development?

A manual wafer prober plays a crucial role in semiconductor development. It is primarily used to evaluate the features of prototype integrated circuits and analyze signs of defects. 

Moreover, it provides highly accurate measurement and assessment of a test element group (TEG) comprised of transistors, interconnections, and other elements for an integrated circuit. Likewise, a wafer prober has a temperature control function to evaluate wafer reliability in low and high temperatures.

What Are Its Uses for Production Testing?

When it comes to semiconductor mass production testing, an automatic wafer prober is required to ensure precise position and high-speed controls during the TEG testing process. As the wafers of integrated circuits are being scrutinized for defects, the prober conducts a go/no-go assessment result.

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