Launched in 2018, AEM-Afore’s Cryogenic Wafer Prober, or CWP, is the world’s first 300mm cryogenic probe station.

Project manager and one of the lead developers of the first CWP, Aki Junes, tell us more.

Top Features  

• Automatic probing of a 300mm wafer under 4 Kelvin temperature (or even below 2K!) 
• The wafer can be changed through the load lock, without heating the system. This gives even more speed to testing. 
• The speed these features give to the testing and characterization of cryogenic devices. 
• Closed loop cooling circuit, no need to “fuel” system, just electricity needed like in household refrigerator. 

How does the Cryogenic Wafer Prober contribute to the global tech trend?  

• It will significantly ramp up the development of cryogenic quantum devices, electronics, and detectors. 
• An important tool for the development of quantum computing because it allows customers to bring quantum computing from laboratory to production.

Tell us what makes The Cryogenic Wafer Prober (CWP) something to be reckoned with?  

• It allows automatic probing of a whole 150mm – 300mm wafer in below 4 Kelvin temperature. 
• Wafer can be changed in a cryogenic temperature, without heating the system to room temperature. 

Who is the primary customer for CWP?  

• Cryogenic wafer probing is important for device testing of several emerging technologies like cryogenic quantum computing and supra-conductive CMOS semiconductors.  
• It is an important tool for companies that develop quantum computing, cryogenic quantum devices, electronics, and detectors. 
• Scientific development centres and laboratories working in these fields. 

Why should our customers care about the Cryogenic Probing and the CWP?  

• It allows up to 100 times faster throughput in sample characterization of cryogenic quantum devices, electronics, and detectors. 
• This tool will dramatically help to speed up the development of these previously mentioned devices. 
• Quantum computing will mean same level of change in our lives as invention of transistor which enabled computers as we know. All quantum computing devices must be tested in Cryogenic temperatures and CWP is only available volume tool for that purpose. 

The Cryogenic Wafer Prober system is designed and built as a collaboration between AEM-Afore Oy and Finnish company, Bluefors Oy. Bluefors provides the cryostats that are needed for the cooling and Afore provides the probing platform. Behind the CWP successful invention is a team of 3D designers, electrical- and software- designers, electricians, mechanics, welders, and more.