At EuMW 2026, everything RF visited the MPI Corporation booth, where the company demonstrated advanced wafer-level test and characterization solutions built around its TS2000-IFE automated probe station and TS200 engineering probe system. The demonstrations addressed two key challenges facing designers of next-generation RF, mmWave, high-speed digital, and AI devices: accurate differential measurements up to 250 GHz and the simultaneous analysis of electrical and thermal device behavior. The systems combined MPI’s probing technology with advanced RF instrumentation, pulsed-IV measurement capabilities, and high-resolution thermal imaging tools for semiconductor characterization.
European Microwave Week (EuMW) 2026 was held in London from 4-9 October. It Is Europe’s premier event for the RF, microwave, mmWave, and radar industry, bringing together the companies and technologies shaping the future of high-frequency engineering.
TS2000-IFE Differential Measurement Platform
MPI’s TS2000-IFE is a 200 mm automated probe station developed for RF, mmWave, load-pull, silicon photonics, and device characterization applications. The platform incorporates MPI’s IceFreeEnvironment™ technology, enabling stable measurements across temperatures from -60°C to +300°C while accommodating complex RF measurement setups with multiple probes and micropositioners. Advanced alignment capabilities, automated positioning, and short RF signal paths make the system particularly suited for high-frequency on-wafer measurements.
Running on the TS2000-IFE platform, MPI demonstrated a differential measurement solution capable of characterizing devices from DC to 250 GHz. The setup was designed for differential RF circuits and high-speed digital devices used in applications including AI hardware, advanced communications systems, and semiconductor research. By enabling ultra-wideband measurements within a single sweep, the system avoids the need to stitch together multiple frequency bands, helping improve measurement efficiency and consistency at extremely high frequencies.
During the demonstration, MPI highlighted three key challenges associated with high-frequency differential probing: crosstalk between signal paths, probe-tip visibility, and probe protection. To address crosstalk, the company demonstrated a leakage-correction workflow developed in cooperation with Keysight Technologies, allowing unwanted coupling between differential probe elements to be calibrated out during measurements. MPI also showcased the enhanced visibility of its TITAN differential RF probes, whose unique contact structure provides a clear view of the probe tips under the microscope, enabling more accurate placement on small DUT pads and improving measurement repeatability.
Another highlight was MPI’s patented tip-protection mechanism integrated into the differential probe assembly. High-frequency probes become increasingly expensive as operating frequencies increase, and accidental tip damage can significantly raise testing costs. The retractable protection feature is designed to safeguard the probe tips during installation and alignment, extending probe life and reducing the risk of damage during setup.
The live demonstration used a differential amplifier as the device under test and combined a DC-to-250 GHz differential RF probe with an ultra-compact DC probe. MPI explained that the compact DC probe minimizes the amount of wafer area required for testing, making the solution suitable for densely packed semiconductor devices where available probing space is limited.
Integrated Thermal Imaging and Pulsed IV Characterization
MPI also demonstrated a semiconductor characterization solution that combines pulsed-IV measurements with high-resolution thermal imaging, enabling engineers to simultaneously observe both the electrical and thermal behavior of semiconductor devices. The demonstration was carried out on an MPI TS200 SE probe station, integrating wafer-level probing with electrical and thermal analysis tools in a single measurement environment.
The setup was configured to perform pulsed-IV measurements, a technique commonly used to characterize advanced semiconductor devices while minimizing self-heating effects. By applying short-duration voltage and current pulses instead of continuous DC bias, engineers can evaluate intrinsic device performance, investigate trapping effects, and study device behavior at higher operating voltages. During the demonstration, pulse bias was applied to the drain and gate terminals while the thermal imaging system monitored the resulting temperature rise across the device.
A key capability of the integrated solution is its ability to correlate electrical measurements with real-time thermal information. Engineers can visualize temperature distributions across the active region of a device, generate temperature profiles through critical structures, identify localized hot spots, and overlay thermal maps onto optical microscope images. This makes it possible to determine exactly where heat is generated and how it affects device operation, providing valuable insight into performance limitations, thermal management, and long-term reliability.
The thermal imaging system supports transient thermal analysis using pulse widths as short as 50 nanoseconds, with an optional 500-picosecond capability available for studying extremely fast thermal events. Unlike conventional infrared-based thermal imaging systems, the demonstrated solution can operate at ultraviolet wavelengths, enabling spatial resolutions down to approximately 250 nm. This allows engineers to observe thermal behavior within extremely small device structures and correlate localized heating effects with electrical device performance.
The measurement environment was provided by MPI’s TS200-SE probe station, a platform designed for device characterization, RF and microwave measurements, reliability testing, and failure analysis. The system provides a shielded, low-noise probing environment with support for temperatures from -60°C to +300°C, making it suitable for a wide range of semiconductor characterization applications.
European Microwave Week 2026 showcased the latest developments in wireless communications, aerospace and defense, radar, satellite technology, semiconductors, antennas, and test and measurement solutions. From advanced wafer-level characterization technologies to next-generation RF measurement platforms, the event highlighted many of the innovations shaping the future of high-frequency engineering. To discover more technologies, product launches, and demonstrations from across the exhibition floor, click here to view everything RF’s complete EuMW 2026 coverage.
Click here to learn more about MPI Corporation and its test and measurement solutions.