Cascade

Cascade Microtech

Cascade Microtech, now operating under FormFactor, is a manufacturer of precision RF and microwave probes for on-wafer device measurement. Their probes enable engineers to perform electrical measurements directly on semiconductor wafers before dicing, supporting device characterization across frequencies from DC to millimeter-wave bands. The Infinity Probe series uses a patented design to achieve very low parasitic inductance and capacitance, making it suitable for S-parameter measurements, noise figure characterization, and high-frequency signal integrity analysis on-wafer.

Cascade Microtech probes are used in conjunction with vector network analyzers (VNAs) and other RF instruments to characterize transistors, MMICs, passive components, and interconnects at the wafer level. Their GSG (ground-signal-ground) and GSGSG configurations are industry-standard probe tip geometries for coplanar waveguide and microstrip device access.

Key Product Lines

• Infinity Probe series — high-frequency RF/microwave wafer probes in GSG, GSGSG, and multi-contact configurations
• ACP probes — air coplanar probes for broadband on-wafer S-parameter measurement
• Probe positioners and stations — precision mechanical infrastructure for wafer-level probing setups

Industries Served

Cascade Microtech probes are used in semiconductor R&D, compound semiconductor device fabrication, MMIC design and characterization, photonics testing, and advanced IC development. Their equipment is found in government research laboratories, university microelectronics facilities, and commercial foundries working on GaAs, GaN, InP, and silicon-based RF devices.