Users of CSA Catapult’s Facilities and Services Benefit from new DAGE Prospector – Micro Materials Tester

Andover, United Kingdom – Inseto, a leading technical distributor of equipment and materials, has supplied Compound Semiconductor Applications (CSA) Catapult with a Nordson DAGE ProspectorTM micro-mechanical test station. Located in CSA’s Advanced Packaging laboratory, the tester is being used by CSA and its customers to verify the strength of wire bond interconnects and die-attach integrity. “The DAGE Prospector is fully operational and is initially being used for advanced bond and material testing to develop quality micro-assembly processes for custom power electronics, RF and photonics component and module packaging,” says Dr Jayakrishnan Chandrappan, Head of Packaging, CSA Catapult. “However, these tests – which are mechanical push, pull and scratch tests under ambient conditions – are just a few of many the Prospector can do.” Widely regarded as one of the most comprehensive, single-station testers in the industry, the Prospector also has electrical, thermal, acoustic and optical test modes, many of which can be combined. For example, mechanical loads can be applied while cycling temperatures for thermal shock experiments and for highly accelerated life testing (HALT). The Advanced Packaging team at CSA Catapult provides innovative packaging solutions for power electronics, RF and photonics through package design and modelling, micro-assembly and rapid prototyping. CSA Catapult’s expertise can transform customer ideas into proof of concepts/prototypes, helping to launch them to market effectively and quickly. Dr Chandrappan concludes: “Inseto provided a great service, from valuable help with product selection through to comprehensive on-site training and application support. Also, unlike most distributors, Inseto has in-house expertise so little if any time is wasted going back to the OEMs they represent.” Inseto is exclusive distributor for Nordson-DAGE Bond Test Equipment in the UK, Ireland and Nordic regions. MAIN ENDS About the CSA Catapult Compound Semiconductor Applications (CSA) Catapult is focused on bringing compound semiconductor applications to life in three key areas: the road to Net Zero, future telecoms and intelligent sensing. CSA Catapult is a Not for Profit organisation headquartered in South Wales. It is focused on three technology areas: Power Electronics, RF & Microwave and Photonics. As well as the three technology areas, CSA Catapult is also working in Advanced Packaging for these high-power innovations. The next wave of emerging applications will have an enormous impact on our lives. Compound semiconductors will enable a host of new and exciting applications in the electrification of transport, clean energy, defence and security and digital communications markets. CSA Catapult exists to help the UK compound semiconductor industry grow and collaborates across the UK and internationally.