Cascade Microtech Introduces M150 Measurement Platform Breaking New Ground In Affordability And Configurability

BEAVERTON, Ore., April 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cascade Microtech brings its legendary high-performance measurement capability, from DC to 220 GHz, to an affordable and flexible 150mm device measurement platform for measuring anything from semiconductor wafers, ICs, printed circuit boards and MEMS to bioscience devices -- all on a single platform. The M150 Measurement Platform offers unprecedented customer flexibility to switch between applications within minutes and saves the expense of buying a new measurement station for each discrete application.

"I'm now using the M150 for failure analysis and soon plan to switch over for gallium arsenide (GaAs) process characterization. With the new set platen- chuck offset and its probe options, the M150 is very easy to change for more advanced on-wafer characterization. Now we don't need two stations with two sets of probes. It's so easy to switch applications on the fly. The new platen design is especially helpful," said Corey Nevers, Technology Development, TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc., Hillsboro, Oregon.

M150 can be configured and reconfigured

The M150 Measurement Platform is customer configurable with interchangeable standard parts and accessories optimized for specific measurement needs. Its unmatched versatility can save customers tens of thousands of dollars on the purchase of separate measurement stations. The M150 helps customers solve device problems such as those related to power consumption, operating frequency, signal isolation, signal integrity and channel bandwidth.

The M150 Measurement Platform is designed for customers who are: * Working in semiconductor fabs, yield departments, failure analysis, process engineering and device modeling; * Working on process characterization of III-V compound semiconductors such as gallium arsenide, silicon germanium, and indium phosphide for RF, microwave and millimeter wave applications; * Working with signal integrity issues on PCBs and high-speed interconnects; * Working with emerging technologies to accurately position, navigate and view their analysis for applications such as lab-on-a-chip, microfluidics, organic transistors, polytec neurons, MEMS devices and other biostructures; and * University labs around the world doing R&D on semiconductor devices and processors. M150 Measurement Platform adapts to life sciences research

The M150 Measurement Platform is completely compatible with the Cascade Microtech L-Series Microfluidics Metrology Systems and will be used as the station of choice for all L-Series life sciences applications.

Announced in August 2005 by Cascade Microtech and becoming rapidly adopted in the worldwide research community, the L-Series Microfluidics Metrology Systems represent a significant leap forward in life sciences research methodology that is based on two new breakthrough products -- the L-series MFP and EBP Microports(TM) (tiny fluid and electrical field delivery mechanisms) -- developed exclusively by Cascade Microtech. The patent-pending Microports are based on micron-level probing technology developed by Cascade Microtech. The Microports will enable faster and more efficient microfluidics measurements. The technology advancement represented by the use of the Microports enables scientists to dispense liquid or create an electrical field on a tiny workspace in a way never imagined for microfluidics research applications.

U.S. pricing and availability -- flexible ways to buy

The M150 Measurement Platform offers two ways to buy -- by choosing one of the application-specific preconfigured packages for DC, RF, failure analysis, PCB test or millimeter wave packages, as well as a way to build your own system optimized to your application.

Cascade Microtech has simplified the entire purchase process to allow a single prober to be expanded with accessories. Customers can buy a system by purchasing a prober bundle and an accessory bundle for their application of choice. Customers have the flexibility to add on new accessory bundles to later modify any of the standard bundles below. Thus, any system bundle is infinitely expandable as no one system locks in or limits the measurement capabilities of the future.

Pricing for the application bundles are listed below. As other system components are too numerous to list, please contact Cascade Microtech sales at sales@cascademicro.com or visit the special online M150 configurator at www.cascademicrotech.com/m150 to configure a system.

* DC Measurement System Bundles range from $7,000 - $18,000 * RF Measurement System Bundles range from $22,000 - $27,000 * Failure Analysis System Bundle: $35,000 * PCB Signal Integrity System Bundle: $35,000 * Millimeter Wave System Bundle: $45,000

All M150 Measurement Platform configurations are available immediately for order.

About Cascade Microtech

Cascade Microtech, Inc. is a worldwide leader in advanced wafer probing solutions for the precise electrical measurement and test of integrated circuits (ICs). The company's wafer probing solutions provide connectivity between testers and ICs in wafer form. ICs are ubiquitous in equipment for computing, communications, consumer electronics, automotive, and military applications, such as cell phones, PDAs, or computers. The rapid evolution of IC complexity and cost requires increasingly precise and productive tools to develop and manufacture these devices. Cascade's solutions have accelerated the development of these ICs and their interconnects. Cascade's probing solutions and probe cards perform the precise electrical metrology required to develop new processes and reduce design times and production costs. Cascade Microtech also provides electrical metrology solutions for other small structures such as IC packages, circuit boards and modules, MEMS, biological structures, and electro-optic devices.

Cascade Microtech is located at 2430 NW 206th Avenue, Beaverton, Oregon 97006, U.S.A. Information about Cascade Microtech can be found on the Web at www.cascademicrotech.com or by calling 1-800-550-3279 or (503) 601-1000 outside of the United States.

CONTACT: Debra Seifert of McClenahan Bruer Communications,+1-503-546-1000, or debra@mcbru.com, for Cascade Microtech, Inc.; or JunkoNakaya of Cascade Microtech, Inc., +1-503-601-1180, orjunko_nakaya@cmicro.com

Web site: http://www.cascademicrotech.com/