Device characterization & production test

Device characterization & production test

RF component manufacturing and characterization

RF components require stable and repeatable test and measurement solutions to ensure constant product quality

The modern world relies on wireless connectivity. All these wireless systems require many RF and microwave components from data converters, filters, mixers, amplifiers to antennas.

Based on the target use case, special implementations and integration levels of multiple functions can be seen. Characterizing these devices in small lots and verifying in mass-production require flexible and fast test and measurement solutions which support basic RF measurements all the way to standard-compliant modulation schemes.

Rohde & Schwarz provides leading-edge solutions for component test for on-wafer to final packaged devices, from streamlined RF test to complex protocol scenarios for production and characterization.

Your challenges

Characterization and production have many things in common. Actually, production testing is often derived from the characterization procedures and methods with reduced test depth.

  • Ensuring product quality while scaling from lab samples to mass deployment
  • Automated testing with the right balance of test accuracy and speed
  • Faster to market with fully qualified products
  • Correlation of test results from development through characterization to production

Specific requirements in characterization:

  • Characterize the lot within a short time while maintaining a high level of accuracy and sensitivity
  • Verify the components in a small lot across corner cases in level and temperature to release for production
  • Run stress testing, also called highly accelerated stress screening (HASS) and highly accelerated life cycle testing (HALT) to ensure product quality

Specific requirements in production:

  • Enable highest throughput using speed optimized testing and minimized test depth
  • Ensure only good devices will leave the factory using the right amount of testing
  • Find faulty units as early as possible in the production process

Production solutions for RF & microwave components

  • The compact vector component analyzer R&S PVT360A enables highest throughput with built-in sequencing, parallelization of test and data processing plus multi-site support. The product is optimized for stable test conditions with high repeatability and lowest drift.
  • The R&S ZNBT vector network analyzer is speed optimized and provides parallel testing on many devices using its up to 24 ports simultaneously.
  • R&S®ZNrun vector network analyzer automation suite optimizes the usage of the many test ports of the multiport VNA solutions in the most efficient way while optimizing throughput.
  • On-wafer testing is enabled through the integration of our vector network analyzers with the leading wafer prober partners MPI Corporation and Formfactor
  • Instruments health & utilization monitoring service (HUMS) supports management of deployed test fleet providing health and utilization status in many details.
  • Within the Rohde & Schwarz WMT software service, experienced application engineers assist you with any questions and together we develop a test solution that perfectly matches your requirements. This includes automation, result handling and test report generation as needed.

Related products

R&S®PVT360A

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Wireless manufacturing test

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Benefits of Rohde & Schwarz solutions

  • To best fit your requirements, you can select from a wide range of Rohde & Schwarz test & measurement solutions for modulated and CW testing
  • For characterization, you can pick and select from best performance and rich feature-set instrumentation to speed optimized solutions
  • For production, speed and cost optimized solutions offer best fit for on-wafer testing as well as final test of packaged devices
  • Automation is supported with a built-in macro-recorder creating the test script based on manual operation on a growing number of test instruments
  • Professional automation service is available and creates test software based on your test plan and instrumentation

If you have any further questions, please contact us.

On-demand Webinar: A summary of testing RF power amplifier designs.

RF & MW webinars

On-demand Webinar: A summary of testing RF power amplifier designs.

This webinar targets engineers in RF power amplifier design and testing.

It covers R&D purposes, verification techniques, design optimization like Doherty and envelope tracking, and challenges in production preparation such as data handling and test automation.

Practical examples will illustrate reliable RF power amplifier testing methods.

Featured resources for device characterization & production testing

Improve throughput in production and characterization

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Faster characterization of 5G RF frontends

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Accurate Test Fixture Characterization and De-embedding

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On-wafer qualification of RF components

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Solutions for RF components & modules

Data converter design & testing

In communications and many industrial sectors, data converters are an essential part of all RF designs.

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Oscillator, clock and PLL testing

Oscillators are used for RF synthesis and as clocks in digital designs.

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Mixers and frequency converter testing

Mixers are used for modulators, phase detectors, frequency converters and synthesizers in many RF systems.

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Amplifier testing

Power amplifiers get the RF signal to the right power level to ensure proper transmission.

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Passive component testing

Passive components include RF filters, combiners, switches, couplers, cables, connectors and PCB boards.

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Antenna testing

Antennas are receiving more and more attention in the system level design due to MIMO and active beamforming.

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