Cascade Microtech And Roos Instruments Announce 80 GHz Wafer Test Collaboration Partnership

Beaverton, OR - Cascade Microtech, Inc. and Roos Instruments recently announced an ongoing collaboration partnership to provide complete and focused solutions for engineering and production test applications addressing 60 GHz through 80 GHz RF millimeter-wave components. Application approaches will include Cascade Microtech engineering probes and production probe cards, paired with Roos Instruments' ATE platforms and tester instrument modules. Both companies will provide integration software and complete calibration capability to ensure that customers can perform complete characterization and performance tests enabling production of Known-Good-Die (KGD) for automotive radar and wireless HDTV applications.

According to Strategy Analytics, over 2.3 million cars will be equipped with collision avoidance radar systems by 2011, requiring over 30 million radar sensors. In addition, ABI Research reports that one million wireless HDTVs will be installed worldwide by 2012, with double digit growth rates.

"Automotive radar and wireless multimedia applications are now moving from their embryonic stage into higher volume growth applications," says Geoff Wild, CEO, Cascade Microtech, Inc. "The need to precisely characterize millimeter-RF components and then produce a cost effective KGD production wafer test capability at 80 GHz requires a unique partnership between Cascade Microtech and Roos Instruments -- two companies who are the leaders in very high frequency testing."

"Roos Instruments has pioneered the development of RF ATE operating at 80 GHz RF millimeter-wave frequencies. In order to fully characterize in engineering and validate device functionality during production test, the transmission paths to the device-under-test have become critical," says Mark Roos, CEO, Roos Instruments. "Cascade Microtech is the only partner who has the experience and tools to provide product solutions that operate in both engineering labs and production environments."

Cascade Microtech and Roos Instruments will host a Millimeter-wave IC Test Solution Seminar Series beginning December, 2008. The first workshop in the series, entitled "77 GHz RFIC Test and the Latest RFIC Test Techniques," will be held in Chiba-City, Japan. This seminar will introduce millimeter-wave IC test solutions now being used for 60 GHz wireless HDTV and 77 GHz automotive radar, as well as the latest high-frequency IC test and contact for WiFi, WiMAX and mobile devices. For information on this or future seminars, please visit www.cascademicrotech.com or email info@cascademicrotech.com.

SOURCE: Cascade Microtech