12000

The Cascade Microtech 12000 is a probe station used for semiconductor test and probing. It is a Cascade Microtech model 12000 probe station or prober.^{[4][5][6][1][2]}

A probe station is used to make temporary electrical contact to devices on a wafer or other substrate by positioning probe needles or probes onto selected pads or structures. In this class of equipment, the probe assembly and the device under test are brought into alignment, then contact is made for measurement, characterization, or functional testing.

Probe stations commonly integrate temperature control and test instrumentation so a device can be evaluated under controlled thermal conditions while signals and measurements are taken through external analyzers, meters, current sources, and pattern generators.

The machine sits in the electrical test and characterization part of the semiconductor workflow. It is used after a wafer or die has reached a stage where pads or test structures are accessible, and before final package-level test or product release decisions.

This class of equipment is used for wafer-level electrical test, device characterization, and measurements on semiconductor structures before packaging. It is also used where controlled-temperature probing is needed.