Keysight, FormFactor, DMPI and VDI Join Forces to Deliver a New 170 GHz / 220 GHz Broadband Vector Network Analysis Solution

Enables customers to shorten design and verification cycles for 5G and emerging 6G applications

Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS), a leading technology company that delivers advanced design and validation solutions to help accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world; FormFactor, Inc. (NASDAQ: FORM), a leading provider of essential test and measurement technologies along the full IC life cycle; DMPI Inc., a leading developer of millimeter wave and terahertz probe technology; and Virginia Diodes, Inc. (VDI), who designs and produces millimeter wave and terahertz devices, components and systems, have joined forces to deliver a new 170 GHz / 220 GHz Broadband Vector Network Analysis (VNA) Solution that shortens design and verification cycles for 5G and emerging 6G applications.

Keysight, FormFactor, DMPI and VDI have jointly developed this new VNA solution to provide on-wafer millimeter-wave component characterization under various conditions. It offers an advanced dynamic range, high output power and maximum stability. As a result, designers can efficiently characterize on-wafer devices and circuits, enabling the creation of highly accurate process design kits (PDKs) used to design integrated circuit models that shorten the design and verification cycle. Additionally, it enables rapid deployment of devices for the emerging 5G and 6G monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs), a type of integrated circuit (IC) device that operates at microwave frequencies.

The joint solution, Keysight’s new 220 GHz Broadband Network Analyzer, enables customers to address the needs of 5G and future 6G technologies that will have a significant impact on communications through the internet of things and ubiquitous wireless connections. The fully integrated solution is comprised of:

• Keysight’s N5291A 125 GHz broadband VNA – a single-sweep solution with compact frequency extenders, that delivers accurate leveled power.
• DMPI / FormFactor T-Wave GSG Dual band probes – which provide wafer-level electrical measurement on FormFactor wafer probing solutions of millimeter wave (mmW) devices and materials up to 1.1 terahertz (THz).
• VDI’s specially designed sub-THz frequency extenders – which allows for high accuracy measurement of on-wafer device under tests from 900 Hz to 170 GHz or 220 GHz in a single frequency sweep.

“We worked closely with Dominion MicroProbes on the probe design and our solution partners, VDI and FormFactor, to deliver the highest performance 170 and 220 GHz single-sweep solution for testing on-wafer devices and circuits,” said Joe Rickert, vice president and general manager of Research and Development at Keysight. “Keysight’s new solution will enable customers to shorten design and verification cycles for 5G and emerging 6G applications and allow them to deliver new solutions to market faster.”

“We’ve designed sub-THz extenders that allow users to leverage their existing N5291A systems to support a single sweep to 170 or 220 GHz,” said Jeffrey Hesler, chief technology officer at Virginia Diodes.

“Equally critical to the new capability are a new line of broadband micromachined T-Wave® dual band probes developed by Dominion MicroProbes Inc. and marketed by FormFactor. Each partner in this new broadband solution brings a unique set of technology and talent to solve these measurement challenges,” said Jens Klattenhoff, vice president and general manager of the Systems Business Unit at FormFactor. “Through close collaboration, we can now provide customers an integrated solution that allows continuous broadband sweeps up to 220 GHz.”

About FormFactor

FormFactor, Inc. (NASDAQ: FORM), is a leading provider of essential test and measurement technologies along the full IC life cycle – from characterization, modeling, reliability and design, de-bug to qualification and production test. Semiconductor companies rely upon FormFactor’s products and services to accelerate profitability by optimizing device performance and advancing yield knowledge. The Company serves customers through its network of facilities in Asia, Europe, and North America.

About Dominion MicroProbes Inc. (DMPI)

DMPI designs and manufactures millimeter and sub-millimeter wavelength on-wafer ground-signal-ground probes and associated components for electrical measurement of devices and materials. DMPI has worked with FormFactor since 2014 as its first MeasureOne™ partner to deliver leading-edge Terahertz probing solutions.

About Virginia Diodes, Inc. (VDI)

VDI manufactures state-of-the-art test and measurement equipment for mm-wave and THz applications. These products include Vector Network Analyzer, Spectrum Analyzer and Signal Generator Extension Modules that extend the capability of high-performance microwave measurement tools to higher frequencies. VDI's component products include detectors, mixers, frequency multipliers and custom systems for reliable operation at frequencies between 50 GHz and 2 THz. All VDI components include in-house fabricated GaAs Schottky diodes and microelectronic filter structures.

About Keysight Technologies

Keysight delivers advanced design and validation solutions that help accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world. Keysight’s dedication to speed and precision extends to software-driven insights and analytics that bring tomorrow’s technology products to market faster across the development lifecycle, in design simulation, prototype validation, automated software testing, manufacturing analysis, and network performance optimization and visibility in enterprise, service provider and cloud environments. Our customers span the worldwide communications and industrial ecosystems, aerospace and defense, automotive, energy, semiconductor, and general electronics markets. Keysight generated revenues of $4.9B in fiscal year 2021. For more information about Keysight Technologies (NYSE: KEYS), visit us at www.keysight.com.

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