How to Care for Your Probe Holder and Tips

At the Micromanipulator Company, our job is to help customers buy the best tools for their particular applications, and is why we have developed such a wide array of products. Also we understand precision is important, and your tools including your probe tips and probe holders need to be in their best shape for optimal performance.  This is why we are happy to provide tips on how to care for them and help extend their longevity.

Different techniques are used to clean and protect probe tips depending on the material they are made from.  The first step to cleaning one of our tungsten, tungsten carbide, nickel tips, HCT tips, or platinum-coated custom probe tips is to rinse it in deionized water.  Then use compressed air to dry the excess water from the tip. If your tip has oxide deposits, dip the probe tip into a 1.0 solution of normal sodium hydroxide (NaOH) for a few seconds.  Repeat the first two steps to rinse in deionized water and to dry with compressed air.

If you need to clean a beryllium copper probe tip, follow the same steps we recommend for Micromanipulator’s tungsten tips – rinsing in deionized water and using compressed air to dry.  If the tip has oxide deposits, you will need to wash the tip in a 10% w/w sodium carbonate solution (NA2CO3) and rinse in deionized water.  Next use a 10% v/v nitric acid solution (HNO3) and dip the tip until a reaction occurs. Now dry with compressed air.

To extend the life of your probe holders, we recommend you use a swab or another suitable applicator to apply a methanol solution to the tip of the holder.  Please do not soak the holder in the solution. Once you have applied the methanol, bake the shank at 200° F-300° F for a minimum of 6 hours.

We invite you to visit our website to see our full selection of probe tips (over 90 available) and probe holders.  Whether you need low resistance, high power, low current, high frequency, durability, high or low temperature contact optimization; and your application is high volume production support, a high value critical FA return, or somewhere in between, we have the right tip for you.  

At Micromanipulator, we not only invented analytical probing in 1956 but are still the top name in the field.  As such we reliably deliver the tools and life cycle support the semiconductor industry depends on. A key part of our company’s philosophy and what drives our success is an unfaltering commitment to customers’ satisfaction.  Please contact us for more information about our innovative probe stations, consumables and accessories.

The Global Micromanipulators Industry 2017 Report

The recently released Global Micromanipulators Industry 2017 publication is a comprehensive, professional report that covers the following topics: Size, Share, Trends, Industry Growth, Opportunity, Application, Production, Segmentation, Cost Structure, Company Profile, Product Picture and Specifications during the Forecast period of 2022. The report also includes an overview of where the market is right now along with a detailed account of the industry’s potential for growth.

By providing a wealth of marketing research on key trends and industry leaders, the report is sure to be useful to established companies as well as new entrants into the market.  The data encompasses the current environment as well as lots of predictions for the next several years.  The authors of the study state that, “These predictions feature important inputs from leading industry experts and take into account every statistical detail regarding the Micromanipulators market.”

In addition the comprehensive study contains critical strategies and impact analysis of top companies along with an overview of their businesses, revenue shares and SWOT analyses.  The detailed profiles include the most prominent players in the market such as The Micromanipulator Company, Narishige, Research Instruments, Leica, and Eppendorf.  In addition the 2017 report analyzes the impact of the most recent industry mergers and acquisition as well as joint ventures.

Especially useful to less established companies are the proposals for new project development that can be used to “help companies optimize their operations and revenue structure.”   The report also discusses strategic recommendations to optimize ROI for all companies.  If you are interested in reading the full report, you will find a link to the full study on Micromanipulator’s facebook page.

At Micromanipulator, we not only invented analytical probing in 1956 but are still the top name in the field.  As such we reliably deliver the tools and life cycle support the semiconductor industry depends on.  A key part of our company’s philosophy and what drives our success is an unfaltering commitment to customers’ satisfaction.  Please contact us to learn more about our wide range of probe stations and accessories. 

Source: dailydemocratnews.com/2017/06/global-micromanipulators-market-2017-2022/

Manufactured in the U.S. – Sold Worldwide

We are proud of the fact that Micromanipulator has been trusted by the semi-conductor industry to design, engineer and manufacture all of the tools they count on for over 60 years.  Our long history has positioned us to be an asset to customer success, and we look forward to addressing tomorrow’s semiconductor testing needs for many more decades.

While we are headquartered in Carson City, Nevada and this is where we produce our products, we are pleased to offer them to customers across the globe.  Our sale centers are located throughout Asia, Europe, the Middle East and South America, so regardless of where you live, you can get easily get in touch with your area’s sales rep for help in purchasing our high-quality products.

In addition if you have not visited Micromanipulator’s website in a while, you may be unaware that we have expanded our online presence with an ecommerce store.  The online store allows you to buy consumable products such as probe tips, probe holders, manipulators and more easily and securely whenever you need them regardless of what time zone you are in.  Also remember if you have more questions, you can also email or call and talk to one of our engineers, or take a look at our extensive online product documentation such as our Probe Tips and Probe Holder Reference Manual.

By partnering with our customers and working toward their success, we continue to advance the state of the art and provide the industry with the tools it needs to develop the products of tomorrow.  Moreover by providing our expert life-cycle support, it ensures our products perform as they were designed to do.

Micromanipulator not only invented analytical probing in 1956 but we are the leading name in the field and reliably deliver the tools and life cycle support the semi-conductor industry depends on. Our company’s philosophy and what drives our success is an unfaltering commitment to our customers’ satisfaction. You will find one of the most comprehensive ranges of probe stations on the market as well the consumables, accessories and on-site support you need.        

Schedule a Visit to Our New California Demonstration Facility

Micromanipulator has partnered with TEC Associates to establish a demonstration hub that will allow our customers to evaluate the performance and capabilities of Micromanipulator’s tools in a real world setting. The new California Demonstration Facility provides customers the opportunity to bring devices and measurement hardware to the demo hub to verify our products with actual devices, thus reducing the reliance on simulations and ambient only probe data.

Conveniently located in Fremont California and just minutes away the San Jose International Airport and the Bay Area, customers can contact TEC Associates or Micromanipulator to schedule an appointment. Currently our first tool installed at the hub is Micromanipulator’s Model 2210-LS, the world’s first true system level probe station with above and below ambient temperature capabilities. The probe station combines traditional wafer probe to the device exercising capabilities of the application board with versatile probing capability for wafer, decapped IC, and decapped board mounted IC probing.

The functionality of the probe station employed at the wafer level has been fully transferred from wafer to system level for true Internet of Things development. With flexibly setups and comprehensive accessory support, our Model 2210-LS, allows system users to trace and analyze issues that manifest only in the actual end application environment faster, easier, and with less headache than previously possible.

Please visit our website for information on how to set up a demo appointment. While you are there, we encourage you to browse through our extensive line of probe stations, consumables and accessories. As a Manufacturer’s Representative and Distributor specializing in capital equipment and related products in the High Tech arena, TEC Associates is Micromanipulator’s exclusive sales representative in Northern California. The cost of the test and setup are controlled with flexibility to test different systems on one platform.

Micromanipulator not only invented analytical probing in 1956 but we are leaders in the field and reliably deliver the tools and life cycle support the semi-conductor industry depends on. Our company’s philosophy and what drives our success is an unfaltering commitment to our customers’ satisfaction. For one of the most comprehensive selections of probe stations, consumables and accessories on the market, please see our website.          

H1000 Series Thermal Wafer Chuck

At Micromanipulator we are pleased to offer our customers smartly-designed, high-tech accessories. One such product is our exclusive H1000 series thermal wafer chuck, which provides system users with the best planarity and lowest noise. We are also proud of the fact that it offers the lowest cost of ownership on the market. The H1000 supports wafer testing from -65 to 400 degrees C, and is available in several configurations to meet your application requirements as well as budget.

Options for the thermal chuck include a choice of two power supplies. The AC heating power supply is designed for fast heating and for applications that do not require chuck noise in the femtoamp level. Our DC heating supply is the appropriate choice when you need to achieve the very lowest noise levels.

Our C1000 simple heat exchange (HE) option also offers customers the most economical cooling for above ambient testing. Once the heat cycle is finished, the wafer chuck rapidly cools down. For testing to zero degrees**, choose the zero degree option of the C1000. This gives users the best performance in holding temperatures at room ambient temperatures.

Our thermal wafer chucks are designed to work with all control options. Other highlights include: rapidly heating up and cooling down; minimizing expansion into the probes; maintaining incredible planarity over temperature changes with our Frictionless Kinematic Mount; and minimizing heat radiation into the stage to prolong prober life.   Our hot chucks support 150 to 300 mm wafers in coaxial or triaxial configurations.

Please see our website or contact one of our engineers to learn more about our line of probe stations and high-quality accessories. We are constantly reviewing and improving our products and are always happy to hear feedback from our customers in order to continue to design products that meet their needs.

Micromanipulator not only invented analytical probing in 1956 but we remain the leading name in the field. From concept, to production, right through to maintenance, our exclusive Full Life-Cycle Support guarantees customers’ success with our high-tech tools. Please contact us to find out more about our wide range of probe stations, accessories and consumables.        

Helpful Guidelines for Successful Low Level Measurements

Micromanipulator wants our customers to succeed, which is why we design high-quality products for a wide range of applications. We also understand it is important to provide information on each product and to be available to answer our customers’ questions. For technical details and troubleshooting, we offer a variety of pdfs and Application Notes.

One of our Application Notes deals with “The Basics of Low Current Probing.” Included in the comprehensive discussion are common problems users run into with low current probing, and suggestions for how to solve them. The document summarizes a list of helpful guidelines for successful low level measurements.

We start by reminding users to pay attention to details as the nature of the very small physical values being observed mean there are a variety of factors that can interfere with the desired measurements. Micromanipulator’s experts recommend getting into the habit of reviewing and practicing preventive measures to eliminate problems before they occur.

We also offer a tip on how to diagnose noise sources and to minimize their effects. Since analog time domain measurement techniques are not readily available for direct observation at femtoampere levels, this can be challenging. One of our suggestions is to use a parametric tester that is configured to provide a sampled sweep of current versus time with a constant source voltage.

Another area we discuss is system grounds, shields and connections. We provide a couple diagrams that show the ideal grounding, shielding and connection scheme for surface to surface and surface to substrate current measurements.

You will also find information regarding exploit filtering and averaging available in the instrument. We suggest parametric measurements such as subthreshold and TDDL that lend themselves to filtering and averaging. In addition our guidelines handle topics such as guarding and settling time, cable isolation and noise, and cleanliness. See our website to read the full report and to see our full line of high-quality probe stations and accessories.

Micromanipulator not only invented analytical probing in 1956 but we are leaders in the field and reliably deliver the tools and life cycle support the semi-conductor industry depends on. Our company’s philosophy and what drives our success is an unfaltering commitment to our customers’ satisfaction. Please contact us to learn more about our wide range of probe stations and accessories.

We Offer an Active Product Upgrade and Trade-in Program

 

Along with our commitment to produce probe stations that meet our customers’ application and budget needs, we also offer an opportunity to upgrade your present machine with one of our newer models. We recognize that needs change which is why we support an active product upgrade and trade-in program. In addition our upgrade paths are even available for obsolete tools so it is much easier than you may have thought to take advantage of some of the newer advancements in the field and get the features you need.

Furthermore, for those on a limited budget these trade-ins along with demonstration products are offered for sale at a significate discount. All of these tools come with a factory warranty and support just as our new products do. Please check our website for the current offering of used tools and if you don’t see the model you want, contact us. We might have what you are looking for!

Micromanipulator is the leading manufacturer of probe stations and with 16 different models to choose from and new products currently under development, you are certain to find a system perfect for your requirements. In fact we are proud to offer our customers the most comprehensive selection of high-quality probe stations and accessories available on the market today.

Our selection includes Manual, Motorized, or Semiautomatic models that offer a variety of different price points to match both budget and application needs. We develop and produce an extensive list of consumables and accessories so you can determine how best to outfit your station. Your choice includes Micromanipulator’s high-quality thermal chucks, microscopes, vibration isolation, light and noise shields, manipulators, DC and RF measurement hardware.

Micromanipulator not only invented analytical probing in 1956 but we remain the leading name in the field. From concept, to production, right through to maintenance, our exclusive Full Life-Cycle Support guarantees customers’ success with our high-tech tools. Please contact us to find out more about our wide range of probe stations, accessories and consumables.        

Micromanipulator – Celebrating 60 Years in the Field

A lot has happened over the last 60 years both in the world as well as in the analytical probing industry, and Micromanipulator has been there through it all. We pride ourselves on providing high-quality, well-designed products for today’s customers as well as a future where we will continue to address tomorrow’s semiconductor testing needs.

During the last decades, our company has grown both in the line of products we produce and our geographic footprint; but the one thing that hasn’t changed is our commitment to serving customers. Our success is built on the fact that right from the start we solicited input from our customers and have taken that information to help us design better products to meet their needs.   In fact we consider their success to be the best metric of our success.

In addition another thing we have done over our many years in business is to establish a significant global presence with a substantial product installation base. As one of our worldwide Micromanipulator customers, you will receive Full Life-Cycle Support that starts at conception and continues through production to maintenance.

Our expertise allows us to bring to the field a technology approach that removes the “burden of performance” from system operators and lets them focus on collecting data rather than on the prober. Also our system’s approach technology integrates vibration isolation, thermal management, flexible, open architectures, and materials selections.

We invite you to take a look at our website or to contact us directly. While we have 60 years of successful experience behind us, we intend to have another 60 years or more ahead of us.

Micromanipulator not only invented analytical probing in 1956 but we are the leading name in the field and reliably deliver the tools and life cycle support the semiconductor industry depends on. Our company’s philosophy and what drives our success is an unfaltering commitment to our customers’ satisfaction. Contact us to learn more.