Boosting Capabilities of Measurement Solutions for THz Frequencies with Unsurpassed
Measurement Dynamic Range, Calibration and Measurement Reproducibility

Taiwan, Oct. 6^th, 2017 – MPI Corporation announced successful installation of the next-generation THZ probe system to the Kollberg Laboratory at Chalmers University of Technology, a leading research university located in Gothenburg, Sweden, to develop new measurement solutions for wafer-level characterization at THz frequency range.

The Kollberg laboratory, an already established infrastructure for terahertz characterization, now has superior capabilities for wafer-level electrical measurements, research on new materials, devices and circuits for sub-millimetre-wave frequency applications thanks to unique features of the new TS150-THZ probe system.

The integrated wafer probe system TS150-THZ from MPI Corporation was specifically designed for probing at THz frequencies incorporating many unique and innovative features to include seamless integration of vector network analyzer (VNA) frequency extenders of any type and frequency bands up to 1.7 THz. TS150-THZ provides the maximum possible measurement dynamic range and highest accuracy of measurement results. With the new and unique features, such as Probe Hover Control, Chuck Auto-Lock and Auto-Contact the new system significantly increases reproducibility of system calibration and measurement data and extends the lifetime of expensive THz accessories.

“As the renowned innovation leader in the field of wafer-level measurements, we are proud to deliver such a unique system to the world-class Chalmers’ THz researchers,” said Dr. Andrej Rumiantsev, Director of RF Technologies of AST Division at MPI. “As the application technology reached THz frequency, we will continue pushing wafer-level measurement limits with Chalmers’ researchers.”

Additional information is available at www.mpi-corporation.com/thz/

About Chalmers University of Technology
Chalmers University of Technology conducts research and offers education in technology, science, shipping and architecture in pursuit of its global vision for a sustainable future. Chalmers is well known for providing an effective environment for innovation and has eight priority areas of international significance: Building futures; energy; information and communication technology; life science engineering; materials science; nanoscience and nanotechnology; production; and transport.

Additional information is available at www.chalmers.se/en.

About MPI Corporation
Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan, MPI Corporation is a global technology leader in Semiconductor, Light Emitting Diode (LED), Photo Detectors, Lasers, Materials Research, Aerospace, Automotive, Fiber Optic, Electronic Components and more. MPI’s four main business sectors include Probe Card, Photonics Automation, Advanced Semiconductor Test and Thermal Divisions. MPI products range from various advanced probe card technologies, probers, testers, material handlers, inspection and thermal air systems. Many of these products are accompanied by state-of-the-art Calibration and Test & Measurement software suites. The diversification of product portfolio and industries allows a healthy environment for employee growth and retention. Cross pollination of product technologies allows each new innovation to provide differentiation in areas that are meaningful to our precious customer base.

For more information please visit: www.mpi-corporation.com/ast/

Taiwan, May 20^th, 2016 – As a result of numerous orders corresponding with the growth of terahertz frequency range measurements in the wafer test market, MPI Corporation has received industry wide acceptance of the TS150-THZ probe station as the standard for these complicated high frequency measurements. The TS150-THZ addresses the challenging test requirements of multiple emerging markets and applications, such as automotive radar, non-invasive imaging, defense, security and surveillance as well as short-range radar and high-speed 5G communication. Decades of experience in RF measurement techniques from the management team of MPI’s Advanced Semiconductor Test (AST) Division also leverages other AST products such as RF Probes, RF probing accessories and RF calibration software QAlibria^® for TS150-THZ development.

The TS150-THZ was designed from ground up specifically for THz probing incorporating many unique and innovative features to include seamless integration of vector network analyzer (VNA) frequency extenders of any type and frequency band to provide the maximum possible measurement dynamic range and reproducibility of measurement results. Together with its rigid probe platen, it inherited common features of MPI manual systems, such as an air bearing stage, and a highly repeatable platen lift with three discrete positions.

“With the TS150-THZ, we are addressing a significant need for accurate and confident data obtained in the university and R&D laboratories under very challenging measurement conditions”, says Dr. Andrej Rumiantsev, Director of RF Technologies of AST Division. “Measurements at sub-THz frequency range are associated with repeated and tedious system reconfiguration to switch between VNA frequency bands and system calibration. Also, the probe system may be operated by several users sharing various level of expertise. The pioneering option of the MP80-DX positioner with an integrated digital micrometer enabled outstanding simplicity and boosted the accuracy and repeatability of the multiline TRL system calibration for unexperienced operators in a much shorter time. Another unique feature is the integration of QAlibria^® with StatistiCAL^® Plus, the software package from NIST. It completes the loop of precise system calibration and metrology-level analysis of measured data”.

A dove-tail interface of dedicated frequency extender adaptations makes switching between different bands as easier than ever. Positioner platforms support both coaxial and waveguide extenders. Modular chucks are available in thermal and non-thermal configurations with auxiliary chucks and with the special surface optimized for any type of the device design. These options allow for fast and easy setups in a very complicated application and make the TS150-THZ far superior to older methodologies for THz probing.

The TH150-THZ can be configured with MPI’s advanced RF accessories such as, RF MicroPositioners, RF cables, calibration substrates and TITAN™ RF probes to ensure precise and accurate RF measurements. With integration of the VNA extenders closer to the DUT, the MPI partnership with Rohde & Schwarz, and new advanced calibration techniques, the TS150-THZ manual probe system becomes a complete measurement solution that addresses the complexities of RF measurements at mm-wave and THz frequency ranges.

About MPI Corporation
Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan, MPI Corporation is a global technology leader in Semiconductor, Light Emitting Diode (LED), Photo Detectors, Lasers, Materials Research, Aerospace, Automotive, Fiber Optic, Electronic Components and more. MPI’s four main business sectors include Probe Card, Photonics Automation, Advanced Semiconductor Test and Thermal Divisions. MPI products range from various advanced probe card technologies, probers, testers, material handlers, inspection and thermal air systems. Many of these products are accompanied by state-of-the-art Calibration and Test & Measurement software suites. The diversification of product portfolio and industries allows a healthy environment for employee growth and retention. Cross pollination of product technologies allows each new innovation to provide differentiation in areas that are meaningful to our precious customer base.

For more information please visit: www.mpi-corporation.com

Taiwan, November 30^th, 2015 – The world-leading Probe Card and Advanced Semiconductor Test Solutions provider, MPI Corporation, announced their commitment to support the National Chip Implementation Center (CIC), the leading laboratory and incubator under National Applied Research Laboratories (NARL) for IC/System design, research, and service in Taiwan. The commitment includes the donation of a 200 mm Manual Engineering Probe System – the TS200 – for a variety of applications such as Device Characterization and Modeling, Wafer Level Reliability, Failure Analysis, IC Engineering and MEMS. On behalf of MPI Corporation, Scott Kuo, the President of MPI, donated the probe system to CIC at the donation ceremony which took place in CIC. Liang-Hung Lu, the Director General of CIC, was on hand to accept the donation and reciprocated the Certificate of Appreciation to MPI.

MPI Corporation was founded in 1995 and has enjoyed undisputed worldwide recognition for probe card technology among foundries and testing houses due to an infusion between customer centricity, the latest technology development, advanced manufacturing techniques and world class customer support. The donated MPI TS200 not only supports on-wafer measurements up to 8”, the system also includes MPI’s  high magnification microscope which enables CIC engineers to precisely observe the Device Under Test (DUT) in a timely and efficient fashion. In the meantime, the unique air-bearing stage design with single-handed puck control provides unsurpassed speed in XY-axis positioning and wafer loading. Along with many other unique features, the flexibilities of the TS200 help CIC provide quality measurements to fulfill a wide range of customer requirements and enhance its chip fabrication and measurement services.

During the donation ceremony, MPI President, Scott Kuo, expressed appreciation for the dedication ceremony and looked forward to future collaboration and experience sharing, with both academia and the semiconductor industry, towards measurement interface perfection. Tzi-Dar Chiueh, the Vice President of NARL, encouraged the cooperation and also looked forward to CIC serving more academia talents with the MPI TS200 and cultivating top technologies for the Taiwan IC design industry.

Other ceremony participants include: Yung-Chin Liu, Vice President of MPI; Stojan Kanev, General Manager of MPI Advanced Semiconductor Test Division; Keng-Sheng Chang, Sales Manager of MPI Advanced Semiconductor Test Division; Steven Chan, President of Chain-Logic International Corporation (an MPI affiliate); Jiann-Jenn Wang and Hsie-Chia Chang, Deputy Director General of CIC; Da-Chiang Chang, Director of CIC Chip Implementation Service Division, and many other CIC managers.

Scott Kuo(left), the President of MPI Corporation, presented the 200 mm Manual Engineering Probe System donation to Liang-Hung Lu(right), the Director General of CIC

Liang-Hung Lu(right), the Director General of CIC reciprocated with the Certificate of Appreciation to Scott Kuo(left), the President of MPI Corporation

Pictured from left：Keng-Sheng Chang, Sales Manager of MPI Advanced Semiconductor Test Division; Yung-Chin Liu, Vice President of MPI; Steven Chan, President of Chain-Logic International Corporation; , Stojan Kanev, General Manager of MPI Advanced Semiconductor Test Division; Scott Kuo, President of MPI; Tzi-Dar Chiueh, the Vice President of NARL; Liang-Hung Lu, the Director General of CIC; Jiann-Jenn Wang and Hsie-Chia Chang, Deputy Director General of CIC; Da-Chiang Chang, Director of CIC Chip Implementation Service Division

MPI Corporation visited CIC RF and MEMS Testing Laboratories

*Photographs courtesy of CIC

MPI Corporation and Rohde & Schwarz offer joint solutions for on-wafer measurements on semiconductor components
September 8, 2015

Taiwan, Hsinchu – MPI is partnering with the T&M equipment manufacturer Rohde & Schwarz to provide customers with turnkey solutions for measurements on semiconductor components in the RF and millimeter wave ranges. The two companies successfully achieved a seamless integration of Rohde & Schwarz vector network analyzers (VNA) and MPI engineering probe systems.

Due to the complex measurement tasks to be performed when characterizing modern RF semiconductor components, the proper integration of T&M equipment with a probe system is a time-consuming and costly task. To set up a measurement system delivering accurate and repeatable results can be very challenging since a number of factors play a role here. These include an intuitive user interface, the mechanical properties of the probe system, the electrical and mechanical properties of the RF probe tips, the mechanical connection and integration of the network analyzer with the probe system, as well as the functionality and usability of the software. The VNA must provide the RF performance and functionality required for complete and accurate characterization even of demanding DUTs such as amplifiers and converters over a wide frequency range.
Thanks to a profound understanding of the requirements and special aspects to be considered for on-wafer RF and millimeter-wave measurements, MPI successfully brings diverse innovative solutions to the market:
MPI’s engineering probe systems are characterized by excellent mechanical stability and offer unique solutions in terms of measurement repeatability and usability.
MPI recently announced the industry‘s first probe system specifically designed for high-precision measurements in the millimeter- and submillimeter-wave (THz) ranges based on a seamless integration of Rohde & Schwarz millimeter-wave converters.
Unlike any other RF probes on the market, MPI TITAN™ RF probes provide excellent, real-time visibility of the probe tip contacts for highly accurate positioning of the probes.
MPI’s intuitive QAlibria™ calibration software with multi-touch functionality supports the Rohde & Schwarz R&S®ZVA and R&S®ZNB VNAs. These offer a wide output power range for the characterization of active components in the linear and non-linear regions. Featuring highly stable sources, the R&S®ZVA in conjunction with Rohde & Schwarz frequency converters is ideally suited for on-wafer component characterization in the millimeter-wave range. The Rohde & Schwarz frequency converters have been optimized mechanically for on-wafer measurements.

About MPI Corporation

MPI Corporation is a publicly held company, founded in July, 1995. In 20 short years MPI has already achieved the #1 position for probe card manufacturing in Taiwan and #5 globally. In addition, MPI is the undisputed world leader in production LED material handling, test and inspection by having more than 9000 systems installed. MPI’s Advanced Semiconductor Test (AST) division is built on a unique combination of manufacturing excellence and systems reliability from the LED division combined with more than 50 years of engineering probe systems market expertise within the management and marketing team. The major focus of the AST division is in test solutions for applications such as RF and mmW, and device characterization for modeling and process development.
For more information visit: www.mpi-corporation.com

About Rohde & Schwarz

The Rohde & Schwarz electronics group offers innovative solutions in the following business fields: test and measurement, broadcast and media, secure communications, cybersecurity, radio monitoring and radiolocation. Founded more than 80 years ago, this independent company has extensive sales and service networks and is present in more than 70 countries. The electronics group is among the world market leaders in its established business fields. On June 30, 2014, Rohde & Schwarz had approximately 9800 employees. It achieved a net revenue of EUR 1.75 billion in the 2013/2014 fiscal year (July to June). The company is headquartered in Munich, Germany. It also has regional headquarters in Singapore and Columbia, Maryland, USA, to manage its operations in these regions.
For more information visit: www.rohde-schwarz.com

MPI Corporation is proud to introduce the TITAN™ RF probes line. The TITAN ™ Probes provide the latest in technology and manufacturing advancements within the field of RF testing. They are derived from the technology transfer that accompanied the acquisition of Allstron, are significantly enhanced by MPI’s vastly experienced RF testing team, and built by MPI’s world class MEMs manufacturing technology. Precisely manufactured, the TITAN™ Probes include matched 50 Ohm MEMS contact tips with improved probe electrical characteristics which allow the realization of unmatched calibration results over a wide frequency range. The patented protrusion tip design enables small passivation window bond pad probing while significantly reducing probe skate thus providing the outstanding contact repeatability required in today’s extreme measurement environments.   TITAN™ Probes offer a premium price-performance ratio which makes these probes an exceptional value and unique when compared to current market offerings.

“TITAN™ Probes represent the next generation of high frequency probes and are a direct replacement for all Allstron probes. With drastically improved performance, TITAN™ Probes create tremendous market impact due to a reduction of cost of test. In particular, TITAN™ Probe family includes the high-power model that enables testing of active and/or passive RF high power devices at 10 W of continuous power, DC currents up to 2 A, bias voltages up to 250 V and at the temperature range from -60 C to +200 С. This is MPI’s unique value to the rapidly developing market of high-power RF applications ” says Stojan Kanev, the General Manager of Advanced Semiconductor Test Division. “TITAN™ Probes will provide customers a valuable method to improve their ROI when developing modern RF and microwave components.”

The TITAN™ Probe series are available in single-ended and dual tip configurations, with pitch range from 50 micron to 1250 micron and from 26 GHz to 110 GHz. TITAN™ Probes are the ideal choice for the on-wafer S-parameter measurements of RF, mm-wave devices and circuits up to 110 GHz. Finally, customers can now enjoy the long life and unbeatable cost of ownership they have desired for years.

About MPI Corporation

MPI Corporation was founded in July, 1995 and has enjoyed growth well beyond industry standards due to an infusion between customer centricity, industry leading technology development, advanced manufacturing techniques and world class customer support. MPI’s three main product lines include state of the art Wafer Test Probe Cards, Production LED Equipment and Advanced Semiconductor Test Equipment. The industries MPI serves include Semiconductor, Materials Research, Military, Aerospace, Automotive, Fiber Optic, Electronic Components, Bio-Research, and more. Cross pollination of product technologies allows each new innovation to provide differentiation in areas that are meaningful to the markets we serve. MPI is the only publically owned, GTSM-listed company of its kind in Taiwan. For more information visit www.mpi-corporation.com

About Advanced Semiconductor Test Division

The new Advanced Semiconductor Test (AST) Division was established based on a unique combination of manufacturing excellence and systems reliability incorporated from MPI’s worldwide market leadership in Probe Card Technologies and Production LED Test Equipment, with decades of engineering probe systems market expertise of the AST management team.  By developing Test Solutions, with features based upon creative ideas, a tremendous amount of knowledge obtained from long-term market interactions and being part of the existing MPI customer centric culture, AST provides outstanding engineering probe systems and RF probes from 26 to 110 GHz, unique RF calibration software, global services, and superior application support to the market with unsurpassed values.