Automatic Test Equipment (ATE)

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【NI】Semiconductor Test System (STS)

【NI】Semiconductor Test System (STS)

STS is a production-ready ATE solution for RF, mixed-signal, and MEMS semiconductor devices. STS is ready for the production test cell, with support for manipulators, handlers, and wafer probers, and a standard spring pin layout enables highly transferable test programs and load boards. STS features a unified set of software tools for quickly and efficiently developing, debugging, and deploying test programs.

 

【Key Benefits】

  • Comprehensive Portfolio of RF, Digital, and DC Instrumentation – You can customize new STS configurations and upgrade existing testers to include the instrumentation resources you need while maintaining test program and load board transferability. 
  • Unified Software Experience – STS Software provides the tools needed to develop, debug, and deploy multisite test programs, including pin mapping, test limit importing/exporting, binning, and STDF reporting.
  • Prebuilt Test Code – You can use drag-and-drop software templates for common semiconductor test operations such as continuity checks, leakage tests, digital pattern bursts, or RF waveform generation or acquisition for the latest wireless standards like 5G NR.
  • Test Cell Integration – The standard docking and interfacing infrastructure allows for seamless integration with manipulators, device handlers for package test, and wafer probers for wafer test.
  • System Calibration – You can perform system-level in-situ calibration of digital and DC resources up to the spring probe interface and RF resources up to the blind mates, with options to consume vector de-embedding files for calibrating up to the DUT plane.
  • Services and Support – Comprehensive engineering services, bring-up services, training, and technical support help you get up and running quickly.

 

【STS Test Solution】

RF Front Ends and Transceivers
Test Solution
Wireless chipmakers know that time-to-market pressures and production test throughput are critical considerations when evaluating test solutions. For RF Front Ends, including power amplifiers (PAs), low-noise amplifiers (LNAs), RF switches, RF filters, and integrated RF front end modules (FEMs), STS provides significant test time and throughput advantages over competitive ATE solutions. NI’s heavy involvement in standards bodies and lab applications translates to strong experience and compelling solutions for the latest wireless standards, such as 5G NR and Wi-Fi 6. NI offers significant IP and cutting-edge instrumentation with industry-leading bandwidth that can help you accelerate your time to market.
Key Features
  • Integrated solutions for RF and mmWave wireless standards
  • Industry-leading 1 GHz bandwidth for complex RF measurements
  • Support for wireless standards, including GSM, TD SCDMA, WCDMA, LTE, LTE-A, 5G NR, and 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax
  • Up to 48 bidirectional RF ports and 72 bidirectional mmWave ports
  • SPI, MIPI, and custom digital communication library for front end modules (FEMs)
  • Optional high-power RF - up to +40 dBm
  • Optional harmonics measurements - up to 18 GHz
  • Optional noise figure measurements - with Y-factor and cold source support

 

IoT Microcontroller Devices
Test Solution
Semiconductor chipmakers know that the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) has led to an increase in the diversity and volume of IoT microcontroller semiconductor devices with a cost-optimized price point that can be difficult to address with traditional ATE solutions. For microcontroller-based IoT devices with communication standards such as Bluetooth LE, NB-IoT, Wi-Fi, and ZigBee, STS provides a flexible production test platform that can scale up to meet expanding production volumes or scale down to meet constricting budgets.
Key Features
  • Industry-leading 1 GHz bandwidth for complex RF measurements
  • Support for wireless connectivity standards, such as Bluetooth LE, NB-IoT, Wi-Fi, and ZigBee
  • Optional audio input and output instrumentation resources
  • Optional high-frequency signal generation and capture instrumentation resources

 

Mixed-Signal and MEMS Devices
Test Solution
Semiconductor chipmakers know that testing both typical and esoteric devices across diverse mixed-signal portfolios often leads to a broad range of test requirements. For mixed-signal devices, such as data converters, linear devices, communication interfaces, clocking and timing, and MEMS sensors and devices, STS provides a flexible production test platform that is a cost-effective option for migrating from legacy tester platforms or to offload capacity off of expensive ATE platforms.
Key Features
  • Common instrumentation options for mixed-signal and MEMS device test, including digital, 4-quadrant VI (source measure units), and high-frequency signal generation and capture
  • Interactive software that helps ease test program development, accelerate tester bring-up, and simplify debugging
  • Comprehensive measurement library that provides a higher level starting point for test program development
  • Optional high-frequency signal generation and capture instrumentation resources
  • Optional audio input and output instrumentation resources
 
 

NI accelerates engineering success by providing you with an open, software-centric platform that takes advantage of modular hardware and an expansive ecosystem.