TEL: 0512-8885-6216

2D MEMS® Probe Card Industry Q&A

Jul,14,2026 << Return list

Q: What specific advantages do 2D MEMS general-purpose probe cards have in SI (Signal Integrity) and PI (Power Integrity) compared with traditional cantilever probe cards? Can you provide a TDR time-domain reflectometry uniformity test report?
A: Our 2D MEMS general-purpose probe cards adopt self-developed process, where MEMS probes are directly fixed on the MLC ceramic substrate through automated laser welding. Decoupling capacitors can be installed at the position closest to the DUT (Device Under Test), which greatly reduces the loop inductance. All channels achieve independent isolation, and the signal path impedance deviation is controlled within an extremely small range. Compared with the routing discreteness of traditional cantilever cards, the SI performance is significantly improved, and it can support up to 20GHz high-speed signal test scenarios. The IR Drop optimization effect of the PI power path is far better than that of the traditional cantilever structure. All shipped 2D MEMS probe cards can issue full-channel TDR time-domain reflectometry uniformity factory inspection reports through our own network analyzer and TDR impedance testing equipment, which fully meets the compliance verification requirements of advanced process chips.

 

Q: What is the minimum Pin alignment accuracy supported by the 2D MEMS probe cards adapted for CIS image sensors? Is custom probe arrangement rule supported for CIS chips of different resolutions?
A: Our CIS-dedicated 2D MEMS probe card adopts an automated laser welding process with accuracy as low as 60μm, achieving alignment accuracy up to ±3μm, far exceeding the general industry level. It covers test scenarios for all CIS chips from 8MP consumer-grade to megapixel-level automotive-grade products. All probe arrangement rules support full-dimension customization, which can flexibly adjust the probe position according to the PAD array and surrounding routing layout of the customer's CIS chip, completely avoiding the photosensitive area of the CIS chip and eliminating the risk of imaging effect impairment caused by probe contact damage.

 

Q: Our company needs to test HPC chips with 90μm pitch. Which corresponding series of your 2D MEMS probe cards can be used? Can it adapt to 150℃ high-temperature test scenarios?
A: For HPC chips with 90μm pitch, you can select our 2D MEMS vertical probe card MF90 series, which is adapted for high-performance computing chips in the 70μm~120μm Pitch range. The probe is made of Pd/Co/Au alloy material, with operating temperature range covering -40℃~125℃. For 150℃ high-temperature test scenarios, we can provide customized high-temperature adaptation versions to meet the high-temperature burn-in test requirements of power chips.

 

Q: What is the minimum Pitch supported by the CIS-dedicated 2D MEMS probe card? Can the probe thickness tolerance of the 30μm Pitch version be controlled within ±1μm?
A: The probe thickness of our CIS-dedicated 2D MEMS probe card is 35μm, and the mass-produced regular version supports a minimum Pitch of 60μm. For ultra-dense Pitch requirements of 30μm, customized development services are available. The probe thickness tolerance of the customized version can be controlled within ±1μm. With the self-developed silicon nitride guide plate (SiN), a narrow wall gap of 15μm is realized, which completely avoids the short-circuit risk between adjacent probes and meets the test requirements of high-end small-pixel CIS chips.

 

Q: What are the differences in service life and contact resistance stability between ordinary 2D MEMS probe cards of the same type and the version with rhodium (Rh) probe tips?
A: Our standard CIS-dedicated probe cards adopt rhodium (Rh) tip material. Compared with the conventional gold-plated version, the wear resistance of the tip is greatly improved, with cumulative probing life reaching over 500,000 touches. The contact resistance remains stably at an extremely low level for a long time, which reduces the maintenance and replacement frequency of probe cards by 60% in long-term mass production scenarios, and the full-lifecycle test cost per card can be reduced by 40%.

 

Q: For 2D MEMS probe cards adapted for RF chips, what is the maximum supported test frequency? What is the maximum allowable current for a single probe?
A: Our 2D MEMS thin-film probe cards can support RF signal testing up to 40GHz, adapting to the performance verification requirements of 5G/6G millimeter-wave chips. The maximum allowable current of a single probe of 2D MEMS blade probe cards can reach 800mA. For high-power test scenarios, we can provide customized versions to increase the current-carrying capacity of a single probe to more than 1A, matching the high-current test requirements of power semiconductors.

 

Q: What is the average number of cycles of contact for the probes on 2D MEMS general-purpose probe cards? Can the tip wear rate be controlled below the industry standard after long-term mass production use?
A: The estimated test life of the conventional version of our 2D MEMS vertical probe cards can reach more than 800,000 touches, and the estimated life of CIS-dedicated 2D MEMS probe cards can reach more than 500,000 touches. The tip wear rate after long-term mass production is far below the general industry standard of 10%, which greatly reduces maintenance frequency. Among them, the Nand Flash/Dram dedicated 2D MEMS probe cards support a maximum pin count of 70,000, fully covering the large-scale parallel test requirements of memory chips.

 

Q: After long-term wafer testing with 2D MEMS CIS probe cards, what is the maximum depth of probe marks left on the chip pads? Will it affect the subsequent imaging yield of CIS chips?
A: Our CIS-dedicated 2D MEMS probe cards adopt a controlled probe pressure design of 0.6~2.5gf, and the probe pressure is only 0.6~2.5gf when OD is pressed down by 60μm. At room temperature, it can support a minimum PAD size of 45μm×45μm. The probe mark left on the PAD of CIS chips is only 9.4μm @80μm OD, and the probe mark depth is far below the thickness standard of the PAD metal layer. The amount of particle fallout during long-term testing is reduced by 80% compared with traditional cantilever cards, which will not damage the underlying circuit at all, and will not affect the subsequent imaging effect and packaging yield of CIS chips.

 

Q: What is the test consistency performance of 2D MEMS probe cards? Compared with cantilever CIS probe cards, how much can the touchdown efficiency be improved, and can it directly reduce mass production test costs?
A: All channels of our 2D MEMS probe cards are manufactured through the MEMS integrated lithography process, and the probe parameter consistency is far higher than that of traditional cantilever cards assembled manually. The probe touchdown efficiency is increased from 95% of cantilever cards to over 99.9%, and the re-test rate per wafer is reduced by 80%, which greatly cuts down manual maintenance time and consumable loss. A single mass production test line can save more than 20% of probe-related test costs every year.

 

Q: What is the maximum number of parallel test DUTs supported by 2D MEMS probe cards? Can it adapt to the current high-parallel mass production requirements with over 128 channels?
A: Our 2D MEMS probe cards for memory chips support a maximum of 70,000 pins, and the Nand Flash-dedicated version supports a maximum of 25,000 pins, which fully adapts to ATE test requirements of 128 channels, 256 channels and even higher-level high-parallel scenarios, greatly improving wafer test throughput and shortening the mass production cycle.

 

Q: Can your 2D MEMS probe cards be directly connected to our existing Keysight/Teradyne series ATE testers? Do we need to install additional adapter accessories?
A: The full series of 2D MEMS probe cards are natively compatible with most mainstream ATE platforms on the market, covering dozens of mainstream test equipment at home and abroad such as Advantest V93K, T5830, Teradyne J750, Ultra Flex, Keysight 407X/408X. Regular versions do not need additional adapter accessories, and can complete production line connection and commissioning within 1 hour, adapting to full processes including WAT test, CP test and burn-in test.

 

Q: Can 2D MEMS probe cards meet the test requirements of advanced processes below 28nm and HBM memory chips?
A: Our MEMS vertical probe cards have been mass-produced and verified by leading customers since 2023. Among them, the MF70 model is adapted to the 40μm~70μm Pitch range, specially designed for advanced 3D IC packaging chips such as HBM and GPU, supporting high-speed signal testing up to 20GHz. At present, it has completed field verification at many leading domestic memory and logic chip manufacturers, covering the test requirements of advanced process chips of 28nm and below.

 

Q: If the traditional cantilever probe cards currently used in our production line are replaced with 2D MEMS models, do we need to modify the existing test fixtures? Will it slow down the current mass production rhythm?
A: Our 2D MEMS probe cards adopt the industry universal standard interface, no modification to the existing test fixtures is required. Only a 15-minute commissioning process with the matching alignment calibration procedure is needed before it can be directly put into operation, which will not affect the existing mass production rhythm at all, and supports seamless replacement and upgrade from traditional cantilever cards to MEMS probe cards.

 

Q: Can your 2D MEMS CIS probe cards match the existing probe stations on our production line? Will there be probe offset and probe stuck issues?
A: Our CIS-dedicated 2D MEMS probe cards are compatible with all mainstream semi-automatic and fully automatic wafer probe stations on the market. Before delivery, all probe XYZ coordinates have been fully verified by professional testing equipment such as PRVX and ProbeWoRX3000. With the limit positioning of the self-developed high-precision silicon nitride guide plate, the probe stuck abnormal rate is lower than 0.1%, which will not cause problems such as probe offset and jamming.

 

Q: After the probes of 2D MEMS probe cards are damaged, do you support on-site probe replacement and maintenance? Can the performance parameters of the probe card after maintenance be restored to the factory standards?
A: We can provide customers with localized rapid response services, and also support on-site commissioning and on-site maintenance services. Damaged probe replacement uses original MEMS probes of the same batch. After maintenance, all electrical and mechanical parameters are fully tested, and all performances are 100% restored to the factory standards, providing the same warranty rights and interests as brand-new probe cards. We can also provide customers with a full set of solution guidance for building an in-house probe card maintenance room, including the full-process support of equipment list, maintenance tutorials and consumable matching.

 

Q: How to handle the oxidized blackening of MEMS probe cards after long-term use? Can I maintain them directly with the wiping method for ordinary probes?
A: It is strictly forbidden to directly handle them with the wiping method for ordinary probes, and it is also forbidden to directly soak and clean them with alcohol. For slight surface contamination, you can use the supporting anti-static probe cleaning sandpaper to gently wipe the tip to remove attachments; when the oxidation degree is deep, you can send it back to the nearest after-sales maintenance center, and the professional plasma cleaning process can fully restore the integrity of the coating, avoiding structural deformation and failure of MEMS probes caused by self-operation.

 

Q: What is the delivery cycle for customized 2D MEMS probe cards? If there is a requirement change, can you complete the adjustment and delivery as fast as 7 days?
A: The delivery cycle of our conventional customized probe cards is 14 working days after the confirmation of requirements. For customer urgent projects, we can open a dedicated green channel to achieve expedited delivery as soon as possible after the requirements are confirmed, which fully matches the urgent mass production rhythm of customers. You only need to provide 18 basic parameters such as chip model, test machine model, PAD coordinates and test temperature range to quickly start the customization process.

 

Q: After purchasing 2D MEMS probe cards, does the official provide supporting calibration services? Can you provide a complete S-parameter calibration certificate?
A: All shipped 2D MEMS probe cards come with 1 complimentary initial full-parameter calibration service after factory inspection, covering all test items including S-parameter testing, impedance matching verification, eye diagram testing, and leakage current testing. All products can provide complete official stamped calibration certificates for free, and you can optionally purchase annual on-site calibration services to meet the full-link compliance traceability requirements of customers.

 

Q: How to store unused idle 2D MEMS probe cards to avoid MEMS structural deformation and tip oxidation failure?
A: Idle 2D MEMS probe cards are recommended to be placed in an anti-static environment with a temperature of 20℃~25℃ and humidity lower than 30%RH, sealed in the original factory supporting anti-static sealed box. Stacking and pressing the probe cards are forbidden to avoid stress deformation of MEMS probes. For long-term storage, it is recommended to open the box every 3 months to check the status of the tips, which completely avoids tip oxidation and structural deformation failure.