Articles

How Does a Mercury Probe Work?

A mercury probe is an electrical device which uses the liquid metal, mercury (Hg), a chemical element. The use of the probe eliminates the need for alternate time-consuming processes, such as metallization or photolithographics to accomplish the same goals. The probe can measure for example, light energy in terms of electron output, and give a specific electrical classification by breaking down the electrons into their most elemental form. In its electrical applications, this device can also measure voltage characteristics, current leakages, and resistance. The mercury probe has a stainless steel cylinder which holds mercury in an electronic probe, a small vacuum pump, and a support platform. The probe is pushed through the cylinder and can have anywhere between two and four contact points, which administer miniscule droplets of mercury to a thinly-sliced sample (wafer). The contact points are measured in microns. (To illustrate how very small an area scientists work with, 1,000 microns comprise one millimeter.) The density of the mercury allows an extremely well-defined area to be examined without impacting other areas of the sample. A hole bored into the underside of the platform, to which the pump is attached, allows the wafer to be held in place through the negative pressure of a vacuum.

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One of the world’s largest fab-less semiconductor manufacturers has evaluated Mercury-based wafer-scale contactors and found them superior to its previous traditional, POGO-style spring pin solution….read more

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