Customer Challenges / Request
With the global shift toward decarbonization and energy efficiency, power semiconductors—such as IGBTs and MOSFETs—are in high demand.
These components must handle much higher voltages and currents than standard devices, making high-current load testing during inspection essential.
The customer needed IC sockets and probe pins capable of withstanding extremely high current during the testing of these advanced power devices.
Our Solution
Seiken engineered a custom high-current test socket solution by addressing the three key factors that influence current capacity:
- Probe Material Selection: We chose materials with superior conductivity and heat resistance.
- Surface Treatment Optimization: Improved plating processes reduced contact resistance and heat buildup.
- Custom Tip Shape Design: Enhanced contact stability and current flow at the probe tip.
Since each probe pin has a current limit, we developed a layout that maximizes the number of probes installed within the contact area of the device. This allows the fixture to distribute current across multiple probes, enabling safe and stable high-current testing.
Results & Benefits
- High Current Testing Achieved: Successfully supported load testing of up to 3000 A, depending on the device size.
- Improved Durability: Each individual probe was reinforced to handle higher loads than conventional types.
- Lower Maintenance Costs: Optimized probe layout improved replaceability, reducing long-term running costs.
- Scalable Design: The approach can be adapted to various power device sizes and configurations.
Application
This solution is ideal for semiconductor back-end testing of high-power components such as:
- IGBTs (Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistors).
- MOSFETs (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors).
- Other power devices used in electric vehicles, industrial equipment, and renewable energy systems.