For vertical testing of WLCSP devices on the wafer, the probe card was long the default. Our interposer sockets challenge that calculation: they consist of a comparatively simple plastic housing with standard spring contacts – and are therefore considerably cheaper to purchase, maintain and keep spares for.
Low total lifecycle costs
Across the complete life cycle, interposer sockets save an average of around 20 % of costs compared with classic wafer probing solutions. The saving begins with the investment cost of the socket itself and continues with the test board, which can be realised more simply and economically.
Short lead time
Thanks to a standardised design process, the lead time for a new custom solution is typically around three weeks – a fraction of what a comparable wafer probing solution requires.
Maintenance without machine downtime
- Cleaning: only required roughly every 50,000 cycles, done in a matter of minutes – usually directly on the test board
- Contact replacement: no special tools needed, tweezers and a screwdriver are enough
- Service life: the contacts typically withstand well over 500,000 contact cycles before replacement is due
- Result: very short machine downtime
When interposer socket, when probe head?
The interposer socket plays to its strengths with manageable contact counts, moderate pitches and high cost pressure. Where very fine pitches down to 92 µm or several tens of thousands of simultaneous contact points are required, there is no way around the probe head. We offer both – and will tell you frankly which suits your application.
