WLP is a technique which will, in the near future, change the MEMS sensor market tremendously. Especially in the field of consumer electronics WLP –products will substitute a lot of the traditionally packaged sensors. Meanwhile waiting new package types from R&D, sensor manufacturers are able to use TOTA equipments for conventional singulated packages. As long as the component top is flat it can be easily placed on the tape to optimum pattern and tested with TOTA equipment. The use of TOTA gives several benefits: 1) Zero jam rate! 2) TOTA enables high parallelism in testing without complex and expensive carriers or test socket boards. 3) The positioning differences between tests are eliminated which is leading to high repeatability and stimulus accuracy. 4) Product change for the TOTA handlers is easy and fast compared to conventional handlers. The tape frame type can remain the same when the product type or package changes. There are no product specific mechanical changes needed (example: track pars). 5) There is no need for handling a single component (for example pick and place) so yield loss is history no matter how many test cycles are needed. 6) All of above together extreme low cost per test! Kronos is our TOTA equipment for accelerometer- and yaw rate sensors with infinite turn angle. Aiolos is for pressure sensors. Please find more information by clicking the links beside. Afore is a pioneer in wafer level testing. The first pressure sensor prober was delivered over a 10 years ago and now Afore is among the first who can present a wafer level testing equipment for motion sensors with real stimulus.

Especially in case of motion sensors, the angular position accuracy is a critical matter for eliminating bias errors. Typically lead frame form accuracy is good and the components on it are well orientated. In a handler you normally have some amount of clearance in product positioning mechanism, which will cause angular error. However, there is a big difference whether it is case of a single component or a lead frame. As the example below shows, even with fairly short lead frame, the error is minimal compared to single component. As the components sizes are continuously becoming smaller, the difference is even increasing. An example how 0,05 handling clearance can effect to the angular positioning Another issue related to component size is the complexity to handle very small components compared to lead frames. With single miniature components the risk to have yield losses during handling is obvious. When handling is done in lead frames, the component size does not have impact to the handling complexity. Afore offers lead frame level test handlers of MEMS motion sensors for ambient and tri-temp testing. In temperature testing the lead frames are stored in metallic magazines during soak. This gives a huge soaking capacity and enables the use of long soaking times even in high volume production. This is very difficult to achieve in gravitational or pick-and-place handlers. Metis is our lead frame level handler for low-g accelerometers in ambient temperature. Zeus is meant for tri-temp testing. Please find more information by clicking the links beside.