June 2025

Product News

ficonTEC Introduces Industry’s First, ATE Agnostic, Top-Sided Electro-optical Wafer-level Tester

Achim, Germany, June 2025 – ficonTEC proudly announces the release of a new single-sided electro-optical wafer-level tester, a first-of-its-kind solution fully compatible with the world’s two largest semiconductor ATE (automated test equipment) architectures. This innovative new platform further strengthens ficonTEC’s position as a complete ecosystem provider for high-volume electro-optical test of silicon photonics products as used in AI communication fabrics and high-performance computing (HPC) applications.

The new test cell achieves precise optical I/O active alignment probing (edge or grating coupled) from the same top-side of the wafer as the electrical probe card interface from the ATE test head. This unique single-sided approach dramatically simplifies the integration with existing ATE systems, paving the way for scalable, cost-effective wafer-level testing of compact photonic engines. Developed in close collaboration with leading ATE manufacturers – including Teradyne and Advantest – the tester is fully integrated at both software and hardware levels. It supports DC and high speed signal testing, automated wafer handling, chuck thermal control, advanced wafer mapping, and optical I/O port recognition – all while leveraging the same streamlined interface and data management system used in the double-sided electro-optical wafer tester announced in March 2025.

By combining both systems, ficonTEC now offers a complete test suite for wafer-level testing, enabling chip manufacturers and foundries to scale production while maintaining a common software interface for simplified operations and unified test data management. ficonTEC’s test and assembly systems continue to support the manufacture of cutting-edge photonic interconnect chiplets – including those for 800G, 1.6T and 3.2T CPO-enabled formats – with an installed base of over 1400 systems worldwide. As AI-driven demand accelerates, ficonTEC is rapidly but reliably expanding its presence and support capabilities in strategic regions such as Taiwan, Korea, Israel, and the USA.

To find out more about our latest testing innovations for silicon photonics, visit us at Laser World of Photonics in Munich (Booth A2.340), contact us directly, or follow us on LinkedIN.

About ficonTEC

ficonTEC is the recognized market leader in automated assembly and testing systems for integrated photonic devices and high-end opto-electronic components. With over 25 years of expertise, ficonTEC has developed advanced photonics process and manufacturing capabilities tailored to diverse high-tech industry segments.

More recently, ficonTEC’s flexible and scalable Industry 4.0 automation options are enabling new approaches to development and manufacturing, in particular for CPO-enabled optics destined for AI-driven data center applications. By actively supporting the CPO production workflow and other cutting-edge photonics manufacturing trends, ficonTEC continues to drive innovation in manufacturing, delivering class-leading solutions that meet the dynamic needs of modern industries.

For more information, visit www.ficontec.com