Non-contact Probing of mmW/THz Devices under Extreme Vacuum and Temperature

This Small Business Innovative Research Phase I Project will develop a novel, fully-automated, non-contact metrology system enabling accurate and cost-effective metrology of millimeter-wave and Terahertz-frequency on-wafer devices and integrated circuits under ultra-high vacuum conditions. TeraProbes, Inc.'s novel non-contact metrology system is based on quasi-optical coupling of test signals onto the wafer using high-performance on-chip antennas. Since the physical contact to the test wafer is eliminated, there is no wear & tear to the chip or the test-bed, thus significantly improving reliability and repeatability as well as eliminating much of the associated testing costs. Particularly for extremely-high-frequency electronics, conventional metrology systems based on contact-probes cannot be readily used for extreme vacuum or extreme temperature testing due to the difficulties in simultaneous coupling of test signals and micromanipulation of the probes. TeraProbes' innovative solution is scalable, and offers a comprehensive, elegant and cost-effective solution for single or differential-mode on-wafer characterization. Perhaps more importantly, the proposed vacuum chamber addition to TeraProbes’ test-bed enables, for the first time, the fully-automated, unattended testing of every single chip on an entire electronic wafer, under vacuum conditions that exist is orbit and deep space.