Keysight Enables Dynamic Test on a Wide-Bandgap Power Semiconductor Bare Chip
Keysight Technologies (NYSE: KEYS) has enhanced its double-pulse test portfolio with a new solution for measuring dynamic characteristics of Wide-Bandgap (WBG) power semiconductor bare chips. The innovative measurement fixture enables testing without soldering or probe needles, featuring parasitic power-loop inductance below 10nH for clean dynamic test waveforms.
The technology allows engineers to perform dynamic characterization immediately after chip dicing from wafers, providing sufficient electrical contact while protecting fragile bare chips from damage. This advancement is particularly significant for developing power electronics in electric vehicles, alternative energies, and data centers.
The solution addresses a critical industry challenge by eliminating the need for traditional methods that required soldering directly onto bare chips, which could introduce measurement errors due to parasitics. The fixture is compatible with both versions of Keysight's double pulse testers, offering a more efficient and accurate testing process for WBG power semiconductor devices.
Keysight Technologies (NYSE: KEYS) ha ampliato il suo portafoglio di test a doppio impulso con una nuova soluzione per misurare le caratteristiche dinamiche dei chip a semiconduttore a banda larga (WBG). Il dispositivo di misurazione innovativo consente di effettuare test senza saldature o aghi di sonda, presentando un'induttanza di loop di potenza parassita inferiore a 10nH per forme d'onda di test dinamiche pulite.
Questa tecnologia consente agli ingegneri di eseguire la caratterizzazione dinamica immediatamente dopo il taglio dei chip dai wafer, fornendo un contatto elettrico sufficiente e proteggendo i fragili chip nudi dai danni. Questo progresso è particolarmente significativo per lo sviluppo dell'elettronica di potenza in veicoli elettrici, energie alternative e centri dati.
La soluzione affronta una sfida critica del settore eliminando la necessità di metodi tradizionali che richiedevano saldature direttamente sui chip nudi, che potevano introdurre errori di misurazione a causa di effetti parassiti. Il dispositivo è compatibile con entrambe le versioni dei tester a doppio impulso di Keysight, offrendo un processo di test più efficiente e accurato per i dispositivi a semiconduttore di potenza WBG.
Keysight Technologies (NYSE: KEYS) ha mejorado su portafolio de pruebas de doble pulso con una nueva solución para medir las características dinámicas de los chips de semiconductores de potencia de banda ancha (WBG). El innovador dispositivo de medición permite realizar pruebas sin soldaduras ni agujas de sonda, con una inductancia de lazo de potencia parásita inferior a 10nH para formas de onda de prueba dinámicas limpias.
Esta tecnología permite a los ingenieros realizar la caracterización dinámica inmediatamente después del corte de los chips de los obleas, proporcionando un contacto eléctrico suficiente mientras protege los frágiles chips desnudos de daños. Este avance es particularmente significativo para el desarrollo de la electrónica de potencia en vehículos eléctricos, energías alternativas y centros de datos.
La solución aborda un desafío crítico de la industria al eliminar la necesidad de métodos tradicionales que requerían soldaduras directamente en los chips desnudos, lo que podría introducir errores de medición debido a efectos parásitos. El dispositivo es compatible con ambas versiones de los probadores de doble pulso de Keysight, ofreciendo un proceso de prueba más eficiente y preciso para los dispositivos de semiconductores de potencia WBG.
Keysight Technologies (NYSE: KEYS)는 광대역(Bandgap) 전력 반도체 벌크 칩의 동적 특성을 측정하기 위한 새로운 솔루션으로 이중 펄스 테스트 포트폴리오를 강화했습니다. 혁신적인 측정 장치는 납땜이나 프로브 바늘 없이 테스트를 가능하게 하며, 10nH 이하의 기생 전력 루프 인덕턴스를 특징으로 하여 깨끗한 동적 테스트 파형을 제공합니다.
이 기술은 엔지니어들이 웨이퍼에서 칩을 절단한 직후에 동적 특성화를 수행할 수 있게 하여, 충분한 전기 접촉을 제공하고 취약한 벌크 칩을 손상으로부터 보호합니다. 이 발전은 전기차, 대체 에너지 및 데이터 센터의 전력 전자 개발에 특히 중요합니다.
이 솔루션은 벌크 칩에 직접 납땜해야 했던 기존 방법의 필요성을 없애면서 산업의 중요한 문제를 해결합니다. 이는 기생 효과로 인한 측정 오류를 초래할 수 있습니다. 이 장치는 Keysight의 이중 펄스 테스터 두 가지 버전 모두와 호환되어 WBG 전력 반도체 장치에 대해 보다 효율적이고 정확한 테스트 프로세스를 제공합니다.
Keysight Technologies (NYSE: KEYS) a amélioré son portefeuille de tests à double impulsion avec une nouvelle solution pour mesurer les caractéristiques dynamiques des puces de semi-conducteurs de puissance à large bande (WBG). Le dispositif de mesure innovant permet de réaliser des tests sans soudure ni aiguille de sonde, avec une inductance de boucle de puissance parasitaire inférieure à 10nH, garantissant des formes d'onde de test dynamiques propres.
Cette technologie permet aux ingénieurs d'effectuer la caractérisation dynamique immédiatement après le découpage des puces à partir des wafers, offrant un contact électrique suffisant tout en protégeant les puces nues fragiles des dommages. Cette avancée est particulièrement significative pour le développement de l'électronique de puissance dans les véhicules électriques, les énergies alternatives et les centres de données.
La solution répond à un défi critique de l'industrie en éliminant le besoin de méthodes traditionnelles qui nécessitaient une soudure directe sur les puces nues, ce qui pouvait introduire des erreurs de mesure dues aux effets parasites. Le dispositif est compatible avec les deux versions des testeurs à double impulsion de Keysight, offrant un processus de test plus efficace et précis pour les dispositifs de semi-conducteurs de puissance WBG.
Keysight Technologies (NYSE: KEYS) hat sein Portfolio für Doppelimpulsprüfungen mit einer neuen Lösung zur Messung der dynamischen Eigenschaften von Wide-Bandgap (WBG) Leistungshalbleiter-Bare-Chips erweitert. Die innovative Messvorrichtung ermöglicht Tests ohne Löten oder Prüfspitzen und weist eine parasitäre Leistungsinduktivität von weniger als 10nH auf, was saubere dynamische Testwellenformen gewährleistet.
Die Technologie ermöglicht es Ingenieuren, die dynamische Charakterisierung sofort nach dem Schneiden der Chips aus Wafern durchzuführen, indem sie einen ausreichenden elektrischen Kontakt gewährleisten und gleichzeitig empfindliche Bare-Chips vor Beschädigungen schützen. Dieser Fortschritt ist besonders wichtig für die Entwicklung von Leistungselektronik in Elektrofahrzeugen, alternativen Energien und Rechenzentren.
Die Lösung adressiert eine kritische Herausforderung der Branche, indem sie die Notwendigkeit traditioneller Methoden beseitigt, die ein Löten direkt auf Bare-Chips erforderten, was aufgrund von parasitären Effekten zu Messfehlern führen konnte. Die Vorrichtung ist mit beiden Versionen von Keysights Doppelimpuls-Testern kompatibel und bietet einen effizienteren und genaueren Prüfprozess für WBG-Leistungshalbleitergeräte.
- Innovative solution addresses critical industry testing challenge
- Enables immediate testing post wafer dicing, accelerating development time
- Superior testing accuracy with parasitic power-loop inductance below 10nH
- Expanded market opportunities in EV, alternative energy, and data center sectors
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Insights
Keysight's new bare chip dynamic measurement solution represents a significant technical breakthrough for Wide-Bandgap (WBG) semiconductor testing. The innovation solves a critical challenge in semiconductor development - accurately measuring dynamic characteristics on bare chips without soldering, wire bonding, or probe needles that could damage fragile components.
The sub-10nH parasitic power-loop inductance is a technical achievement that enables clean measurement waveforms, important for properly characterizing fast-switching WBG devices. This matters because WBG semiconductors like silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) switch at extremely high frequencies and are increasingly essential in power-critical applications such as electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, and data centers.
What's technically impressive is that Keysight has eliminated a significant bottleneck in the development cycle. Traditionally, manufacturers had to package bare chips before testing dynamic characteristics or attempt complex, error-prone bare die probing. By enabling characterization immediately after wafer dicing, this solution potentially compresses development timelines for next-generation power devices.
The compatibility with Keysight's existing double pulse tester lineup (PD1500A and PD1550A) suggests this is an enhancement to their established test ecosystem rather than an entirely new product category. This strategic approach maximizes value for existing customers while addressing a previously unmet testing need in the WBG semiconductor space.
This innovation addresses what Thomas Goetzl (Keysight VP) describes as a capability "once regarded as almost impossible" - dynamic testing of bare WBG semiconductor chips. The technical significance lies in the fixture's ability to maintain excellent electrical contact with bare die without traditional attachment methods while simultaneously minimizing test circuit parasitics.
From a practical perspective, this solution eliminates several traditional steps in the test workflow. Engineers can now evaluate bare chips immediately after wafer dicing without intermediate packaging or complex handling procedures. This capability is particularly valuable for accelerating iterative development of WBG semiconductor designs, where understanding switching behavior is critical to optimizing efficiency.
For context, WBG semiconductors operate at higher voltages, frequencies, and temperatures than traditional silicon, making accurate dynamic characterization essential but challenging. Test equipment that can precisely measure these characteristics gives semiconductor manufacturers important data earlier in the development cycle, potentially reducing design iterations and accelerating time-to-market.
While the announcement doesn't specify pricing or sales projections, this enhancement strengthens Keysight's position in the semiconductor test equipment market, particularly as industries transition toward WBG technologies for improved power efficiency. The innovation appears to be a differentiated capability that addresses specific pain points in testing next-generation power semiconductors, though its financial impact will depend on adoption rates among semiconductor manufacturers and device developers.
- Easily and accurately measure dynamic characteristics on a Wide-Bandgap power semiconductor bare chip without soldering or probe needles
- Keysight fixture enables quick, repeated test without damaging the bare chip
- Parasitic power-loop inductance less than 10nH, for clean dynamic test waveforms
WBG power semiconductor devices are crucial for building highly efficient and robust power electronics for applications such as electric vehicles, alternative energies and data centers. They are used in various forms, such as discrete packaged devices or power modules containing power semiconductor bare chips. Characterizing the bare chip before packaging expedites development. However, measuring the dynamic characteristics of a power semiconductor bare chip by traditional methods requires soldering directly onto the bare chip before tests can be performed. This is not only difficult, but it can introduce parasitics that will introduce errors into the measurements.
The new Keysight bare chip dynamic measurement solution helps power semiconductor device engineers and power electronics engineers perform dynamic characterization as soon as a chip is diced from a wafer. The innovative design of the fixture allows quick accommodation of bare chips and provides sufficient electrical contact while preventing a small and fragile bare chip from arcing or being damaged. The unique fixture structure, which doesn’t use probing, wire bonding, or soldering, minimizes parasitics in the test circuit and produces clean measurement waveforms for fast-operating WBG power semiconductor devices.
Thomas Goetzl, Vice President and General Manager for Keysight Automotive & Energy Solutions, said: “With the introduction of the new WBG semiconductor bare chip evaluation method, we are helping the industry expedite the development of highly efficient and robust power semiconductor discrete devices and power modules. Bare chip dynamic characterization, once regarded as almost impossible to do, is now possible with the extension to our power semiconductor test portfolio.”
Resources
- Product page: Keysight PD1500A Dynamic Power Device Analyzer/Double Pulse Tester
- Product page: Keysight PD1550A Advanced Dynamic Power Device Analyzer/Double Pulse Tester
- Whitepaper: Keysight Dynamic Characterization of a Power Semiconductor Bare Chip
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About Keysight Technologies
At Keysight (NYSE: KEYS), we inspire and empower innovators to bring world-changing technologies to life. As an S&P 500 company, we’re delivering market-leading design, emulation, and test solutions to help engineers develop and deploy faster, with less risk, throughout the entire product life cycle. We’re a global innovation partner enabling customers in communications, industrial automation, aerospace and defense, automotive, semiconductor, and general electronics markets to accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world. Learn more at Keysight Newsroom and www.keysight.com.
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Keysight Media Contacts
North America PR Team
pdl-americas-keysight@keysight.com
Fusako Dohi
+81 42 660-2162
fusako_dohi@keysight.com
Jenny Gallacher
+44 118 927 4003
jenny.gallacher@keysight.com
Source: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
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