Wentworth Laboratories has complete, in-house resources for the design of device-specific probe cards, fully compatible with the interface requirements of today’s state-of-the-art ATEs and probers. WLI’s expertise ranges from the development of low pin count, high frequency ceramic blade cards for GaAs devices, to high-speed, dense and wide area array vertical technology solutions for advanced microprocessor and memory device test.

PCB Design

Wentworth has developed an extensive library of master templates for all major tester platforms (see back page). Working with sophisticated automated design software, including the Cadence Allegro V15.2 Expert PCB design platform and OrCad Capture V9.2 for schematic development, the company’s in-house staff of PCB designers can typically deliver completed designs for high speed, digital, nalog, mixed signal and memory PCBs within three to four weeks. Additionally, the company’s PCB design process is ISO 9001:2000 compliant, and utilizes both IPC standards and customized internal check lists to ensure that final designs exceed customer expectations.The PCB design team also works with board manufacturers to ensure that specifications are meet throughout fabrication.

PCB Design Capabilities/Services

• Up to 50 layers
• Controlled impedances
• Matched lengths within .005 in
• Differential pair routing
• Optimized by-passing schemes
• Frequency response up to 2 GHz
• Gerber translation/generation
• Schematic capture
• Standard parts library
• Final test data file

MLC Design

Wentworth has worked closely with prominent Multi-Layer Ceramic (MLC) suppliers in order to add single layer, thin film, MLC space transformer design to its in-house capabilities. Multi-layer, thin film MLCs are currently designed by the same expert suppliers. The MLC design group adheres to the same stringent design standards employed in PCB design, for complete customer satisfaction in terms of both MLC quality and on-time delivery.

Mechanical Design

Utilizing SolidWorks 3D mechanical design software and FEA analysis, the mechanical design team models the entire probe card assembly to ensure that the final product’s mechanical integrity has been thoroughly simulated and characterized in accordance with customer requirements.

Research & Development

Wentworth Research & Development is focused on meeting the challenges of next-generation device development with cost-effective probe card enhancements and innovations in the areas of pitch, current carrying capability, balanced contact force, increased lifetime performance and component modularity. Cooperative technology transfer activities help to create new, enabling probe card solutions, while co-development efforts involving beta site testing help to bring these solutions to production test faster and more efficiently.