Instrument Systems, Suss MicroTec develop test system

Suss MicroTec and Instrument Systems have partnered to develop a next-generation, high-throughput test system for LED devices at the wafer level. The companies say that the system will enable manufacturers to test up to 70,000 LED dies per hour.

Blue Ray system Time-to-market and production costs for an LED device are critical for the manufacturer. In order to achieve cost-effective production, manufacturers are increasingly using on-wafer testing to prevent the packaging of bad devices - a costly error. Additionally, speed is critical for meeting the demands of the consumer on time.

Instrument Systems is known as a test equipment manufacturer while Suss MicroTec manufactures automated probe systems. "We did not simply combine the fastest spectroradiometric LED measurement equipment with the industry's leading high-speed probe systems," said Thomas Attenberger, LED Product Manager at Instrument Systems. "With this innovative solution, we are leveraging our combined know-how in LED testing to optimize throughput, achieving speeds never seen before."

The BlueRay™ probe system from Suss will be fully integrated with optical measurement equipment from Instrument Systems using a high-speed software and communication architecture. The system is semiautomatic, but can be upgraded to a fully-automated system in the field. This means that production ramp-ups no longer need lengthy equipment changeovers.

"We are excited to have Instrument Systems as our partner," said Claus Dietrich, Division Manager of Test Systems at Suss MicroTec. "They share our commitment to innovation, quality and customer satisfaction, all of which are important factors in the success of this project."

A prototype of the system will be exhibited at SEMICON China from March 21-23 at the Shanghai New International Expo Center, booth #4323 in hall W4.