News - Component Test

Versatile RF Probes for Semiconductor Test

13 October 2014 - Everett Charles Technologies (ECT) launches two new members of the ZIP probe family designed to meet signal integrity challenges driven by the ever increasing speed of semiconductors devices. Z0 and Z1 probes are a cost effective solution that provide excellent mechanical reliability and electrical performance.

Tony DeRosa, Senior Product Manager points out: "While conventional round probe technology restricts travel and only allows for a small internal contact area, ZIP based on ECT’s flat technology offers generous travel and a large contact area. The result is excellent electrical performance for the critical parameters of bandwidth, contact resistance and current capacity. The manufacturing processes used to fabricate ZIP probes are extremely repeatable and stable ensuring probe to probe consistency. We have over four decades of spring probe engineering experience. Our patented, innovative flat probe technology optimizes electrical and mechanical performance. ECT offers ZIP in two high performance versions: Z1 and Z0."

Z1 is ECT’s high bandwidth series with a test height of 2.7 mm. It offers an insertion loss of approximately 30 Ghz at -1 dB. Z0 is ECT’s ultra-high bandwidth series. Z0’s short test height of 1.5 mm and 0.60 nH of inductance provides an insertion loss of 40 Ghz at -1 dB. The probes are available for semiconductor packages with a pitch down to 0.4 mm and are applicable for a wide range of RF testing of applications from lab and characterization to burn-in to high volume final test.

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