Focused Test Inc. Joins the Microtest Group!

We are excited to share that Focused Test, a prominent manufacturer of advanced semiconductor testing equipment with specializations in silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) technologies, has joined the Microtest Group.

For ipTEST, this development enriches our combined capabilities and enhances our access to cutting-edge advancements that benefit our shared commitment to innovation. With Focused Test’s expertise in SiC and GaN device testing—key areas for applications in electric vehicles, renewable energy, and critical power solutions—we look forward to the mutual growth this partnership brings, allowing us to offer even more robust and diversified testing solutions to our global clients.

Together, we are poised to support our customers with an expanded range of technologies and insights, ensuring optimal performance and reliability in today's rapidly advancing power semiconductor landscape.

Microtest Group’s global automated test equipment and Testing services divisions.

Introducing Our New Dynamic Switch Tester: DS6 Pulsar!

It is with great pleasure that we announce the official launch of our latest Dynamic Switch tester: DS6 Pulsar!

What makes DS6 Pulsar stand out?

⚡ Performance

    -Test devices at extensive current and voltage ratings to meet automotive standards like AEC-Q101 and AQG 324.

⚙️ Testing Flexibility

    -Conducts a wide range of tests with automatic data logging for efficient processing through interchangeable output boards. 

🛡️ Enhanced Overcurrent Protection 

    -Safeguards your investment by protecting the contactor and test generator if the device under test develops a fault.

And much more!

ipTEST Joins Microtest Group

We are proud to announce that, following approval from the British and Italian governments, ipTEST is now part of the Microtest Group.

Founded in 1999, the Microtest Group is a leader in the field of semiconductor testing, delivering specialist and highly parallel automated production test solutions around the world, and testing millions of devices every year. The acquisition allows Microtest and ipTEST to offer the full range of test capabilities for high power testing, from high power to highly parallel.

"We are excited to join the Microtest Group, which allows us to further focus on high-power testing for wide-bandgap semiconductors.”, says Conor McCarthy, Managing Director of ipTEST. “There are significant synergies from combining our technologies, especially in the area of intelligent GaN and SiC devices requiring combined high-power and digital testing. Our corporate values and cultures are extremely similar, and we look forward to working with the Microtest team to bring new skills to serve our customers."

Giuseppe Amelio, CEO of Microtest: "The integration of ipTEST strengthens Microtest in an extraordinarily interesting market. This acquisition marks an important milestone in our growth journey, and allows Microtest to offer a full portfolio solution to power microchip manufacturers.”

Microtest Group also has extensive capabilities for ASIC design and ovenless burn in.

This is an important next step in our journey at ipTEST, and our mission to provide the fastest, most flexible power test capabilities to our customers. We are already working closely with our new colleagues in the Microtest Group to bring exciting new capabilities for automated test to market.

Each Microtest Group company provides its own unique set of benefits and all complement the three core pillars of the Group:

  • SEMI Equipment

  • Test services

  • ASIC DESIGN and special applications

ipTEST Newsletter - H2 2024

It’s that time of the year again, ipTEST’s latest newsletter issue is ready and packed with exciting revelations!

This half of the year went by incredibly fast as we targeted our goals and surpassed expectations. Much like Pulsars, there were lots of rotations and targets achieved at incredibly high speeds, emitting (not neutrons) good news and results!

In this issue:

  • Celebrating our second King's award.

  • Royal visit by HRH the Duke of Gloucester

  • Unveiling DS6 Pulsar!

  • Applications Corner: Parasitic Inductance

plus other exciting content!

Our journey in Surrey Research Park

Two years ago, we set foot in our current building located in Surrey Research Park. As time progressed, our team's growth surpassed all expectations. Just a few months ago, we made the move to another building within the same park. Our innovative manufacturing department now resides in this new space. We are thrilled with our continuous growth and the expansion of our capabilities in the Power Electronics industry. However, a question remains: How long will this new building adequately accommodate our achievements?

ipTEST Wins King's Award for Innovation 2023

ipTEST has been honoured with the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise in recognition of advancing the test capabilities available for high power SiC and GaN semiconductors.

Wide bandgap SiC and GaN semiconductors have opened up new possibilities for power device performance. The benefits are widespread, from allowing electric vehicles to travel further on the same battery, to enabling more efficient, lower cost electricity conversion in power hungry data centres.

Testing power devices before they reach the customer is crucially important to ensure they perform reliably throughout their lifetime. For the most accurate results, devices should be tested as close to their operating speed as possible. However, this is a challenge for SiC and GaN which are switched at much higher speeds than conventional silicon. A silicon tester just cannot keep up.

To solve this problem, ipTEST developed the DS5 test generator. The whole layout of DS5 was designed from the ground up to operate at the highest speeds and perform the fastest dynamic tests. The result is that DS5 gives the clearest picture of SiC and GaN device performance at speed, allowing manufacturers to maximize the quality of their products. This is particularly important for electric vehicle applications where power devices are at the heart of the drivetrain, and nobody wants their electric car to fail on the freeway.

“DS5 has been tremendously well received by our customers and I’m so proud it’s been recognised in the Innovation category of the King’s Award.” says Dr Conor McCarthy, Managing Director at ipTEST. “This has been a true team effort by everyone at the company.”

Of course, this is not the end of the story as SiC and GaN semiconductors will continue to evolve and have much more performance to offer. As Demos Malaos, Technical Director at ipTEST says, “DS5 is the first step of the journey. We’ll continue to innovate to offer the highest performance testing capabilities for power devices.”

About the King’s Award

The King’s Awards for Enterprise was previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, and the new name reflects His Majesty The King’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s by recognising outstanding UK businesses. The Award programme, now in its 57th year, is the most prestigious business award in the country, with successful businesses able to use the esteemed King’s Awards Emblem for the next five years.

Come and visit us at PCIM 2023 in May!

See our latest testers in action at PCIM!

It's an exciting time for power electronics right now with the adoption of wide bandgap SiC and GaN semiconductors. GaN is enabling a new generation of super compact chargers that are smaller, lighter and more energy efficient. SiC allows higher powers to be switched at higher operating temperatures and operating efficiencies than ever before. Si based power devices continue to evolve.

SiC, GaN and Si push the envelope of power device performance and accurately testing and characterizing high power packages and modules during manufacture has never been so important. And as wide bandgap devices go to higher power and switching speeds, the power tester must also meet those needs.

At ipTEST we are proud to supply production testers that specifically meet the testing needs of SiC, GaN and Si high power devices.

Meet us at PCIM in Nuremburg Messe to find out more - hall 7, stand 475.

Technical Director celebrates 18 years at ipTEST!

We are delighted to announce that our Technical Director Demos is celebrating his 18th year at ipTEST!

In those years Demos has led the R&D team and built a strong technical culture within the company to focus on developing market leading technologies. He has been the driver behind our new M2 platform and critical to the release of our Dynamic Switch Testers that enable the characterisation of Wide Band Gap Semiconductors.

He is pictured here with our Managing Director Conor who is celebrating his 2nd year at ipTEST. We wish them all the best for the future!

ipTEST attains IMAPS membership

ipTEST has become a corporate member of the UK chapter of IMAPS, the International Microelectronics Assembly & Packaging Society.

IMAPS is the largest microelectronic packaging society in the world and is is a global community of microelectronic related engineers, scientists, manufacturers, end-users and supply chain companies. The Society aims to support the development and growth of the Microelectronics and related industries and to aid the transfer of knowledge and information.

ipTEST will benefit from IMAPS trusted reputation within industry and academia and help us expand our understanding of packaging and handling technologies which goes hand-in-hand with device testing, especially as material technologies continue to push the envelope of speed and power and challenge device inductance and power ratings. In return, we aim to increase IMAPS profile within semiconductor test and widen their sphere of expertise.