Cascade Microtech

Cascade Microtech began with the teamwork of Eric Strid and Reed Gleason, who developed the first microwave wafer probe in 1983. Before then, the true electrical performance of these tiny microwave circuits was impossible to measure at the wafer level. By using Cascade Microtech’s probes and probe stations, design engineers could actually test and characterize circuits on-wafer, before the ICs were diced and packaged. This halved research and development times and lowered the tremendous cost of developing new chips.

Today, Cascade Microtech designs, develops, and manufactures advanced wafer probing solutions for the electrical measurement and test of semiconductor integrated circuits and chips. Customers use the firm’s products to test chips while in wafer form (wafer probing) in both engineering and production test environments. Cascade’s engineering probe stations and analytical probes are used in research and development to perform precise electrical measurements (electrical metrology) on increasingly complex and high-speed chips in order to assure quality and reliability, reduce costly redesigns, accelerate time-to-market, and improve chip-fabrication processes. A large majority of the firm’s revenue is derived from the sale of its engineering probe stations. The company had its initial public offering in 2004 (NASDAQ:CSCD).

Michael D. Burger, President and CEO

Prior to joining Cascade Microtech, Burger served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Merix Corp., a printed-circuit-board manufacturer and currently a wholly owned subsidiary of Viasystems Group, Inc. He continues to serve on that firm’s board of directors. Before joining Merix, Burger served as President of the Components Business of Flextronics Corp., an electronics manufacturing-services provider.

Prior to Flextronics, he was President and member of the board of directors of ZILOG Corp. For more than 20 years, Burger has successfully grown high-technology businesses both domestically and in China. He holds a BS degree in electrical engineering from New Mexico State University and a certificate from the Stanford University International Executive Management Program.

Incorporated: 1984

Acquisitions: Test Systems Division of SUSS MicroTec AG, failure-analysis supplier Alessi

Accomplishments:

2011 Cascade Microtech partners with imec to address 3D-TSV probing solution

2007 Cascade Microtech introduces Tesla, industry’s first on-wafer power device characterization system

2002 Infinity Probe® sets a new benchmark in mechanical and RF performance

1997 AttoGuard® chuck allows 1-fA substrate current measurements

1994 Pyramid probe® is invented using thin-film technology

1992 MicroChamber® revolutionizes environmental controls for IC testing