Collaboration between three companies reduces mmWave 5G IC production test risks and costs… Features modularity that enables reuse of software and baseband/IF instrumentation with modular mmWave radio heads.

National Instruments (NI) unveiled the 'Quad-Site mmWave 5G Package Test Solution' on the 12th, jointly developed with Tessolve, a US semiconductor engineering service provider, and Johnstech, a US microcircuit testing specialist.

The new solution will enable semiconductor manufacturers producing mmWave 5G semiconductor ICs to reduce costs and the risk of product launch delays.

NI, in collaboration with Tesolve and JonesTech, demonstrated IC package component testing using the Quad-Site mmWave 5G Package Solution at its annual conference, NI Week 2019, held in Austin, Texas in May.

The demonstration utilized a mmWave interface board designed and manufactured by Tesolve and a mmWave contactor designed by Jonestech in an environment up to 100 GHz.

A key component of the mmWave 5G package test solution is NI's Semiconductor Test System (STS). NI recently added multi-site mmWave test capabilities for 5G power amplifiers, beamformers, and transceivers.

It features modularity and the ability to reuse software and baseband/IF measurements with modular mmWave radio heads, enabling future mmWave frequency bands to be addressed.

The quad-site mmWave 5G package test solution consists of ▲ NI’s STS ▲ mmWave-capable test interface board designed and manufactured by Tesolve ▲ Tesolve’s integrated silicon design for maximum product yield ▲ Johnstech mmWave contactors for final test of package components ▲ Johnstech impedance-controlled test sockets (including IQTouch micro contactors) for repeatable test measurements.

“We will actively leverage NI’s new mmWave instrument models and work closely with them to help our customers quickly bring mmWave products to market,” said Raja Manickam, CEO of Tesolve. “We will continue to invest aggressively to support our customers’ 5G test efforts.”

“We have been proactive in identifying opportunities in the rapidly growing 5G mmWave market and have been working on mmWave test projects with our best-in-class contactor technology,” said David Johnson, CEO of Jonestech. “This collaboration with NI, which enables superior mmWave measurements while supporting the speeds required for automated test, will drive even more opportunities in manufacturing test.”