P 12 XLn+ Automatic Wafer

The P 12 XLn+ is an automatic wafer prober. Tel is the manufacturer of the P 12 XLn+.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

An automatic wafer prober positions a wafer beneath a probe card that contains the contact elements for the device under test. The system uses optical alignment to locate the die and then steps the wafer from site to site. At each site the probes are brought down onto the bond pads, and electrical signals are passed between the tester and the device. After the test concludes, the probes are lifted and the wafer advances to the next die.

Probe cards connect the prober to the test system electronics through a fixture or interface board. Many probers use a contactor and membrane or needle-style probes. An enclosure, sometimes with thermal control, protects the wafer and probing environment. Automatic wafer probers can run unattended for extended periods.

Wafer probers are used in the interface between wafer fabrication and final device assembly. In the full process flow, wafers are fabricated, then probed, and only after probing are the die singulated and packaged. Probe results can be mapped to a wafer map for binning and yield analysis. The same type of equipment supports engineering characterization runs before production ramp.

Wafer probers support final electrical test of completed integrated circuits before packaging. The equipment is also used for design characterization, failure analysis sample preparation, and process control monitoring. Devices commonly tested on probers include logic, memory, analog, mixed-signal, RF, MEMS, sensor, and power components. Probe testing can also be used with accelerated life test structures and scribe-line test patterns.