News: Suppliers
26 February 2020
STAr acquires Accel-RF to expand scope of reliability test
Reliability test system and probe card supplier STAr Technologies of Hsinchu City, Taiwan has acquired Accel-RF Instruments Corp of San Diego, CA, USA (which produces turn-key reliability and performance characterization test systems for compound semiconductors).
Established in 2000, STAr provides intellectual property, software, hardware, consumables, service and expertise to the semiconductor industry, spanning parametric electrical test (E-test), wafer-level and package-level reliability (WLR & PLR), mixed-signal tests, assembly & packaging services, probe cards, load boards, test interfaces and sockets.
The acquisition enhances STAr reliability test offerings with the addition of Accel-RF’s high-temperature RF and high-voltage switching reliability test systems for compound semiconductors, such as gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC).
Founded in 2003, with cumulative experience based on decades of microwave circuit design, RF component reliability testing and comprehensive reliability test methodology development, Accel-RF has helped to facilitate industry adoption of compound semiconductor transistors and MMICs into space, military and commercial wireless markets. It has supplied reliability test systems to top-tier semiconductor and aerospace defense users throughout the USA, Europe and Asia. Accel-RF claims to be the only provider of fully integrated, scalable, turnkey systems that provide dynamic, multi-dimensional, RF, DC and temperature tests on one platform through a graphical user interface, in a small footprint.
“As a member of STAr’s global connection, Accel-RF will solidify our commitment to providing a far-reaching and strong technical expertise to the compound semiconductor reliability community,” says Accel-RF’s CEO Roland Shaw. “We look forward to a collaborative future with STAr Technologies in pursuit of advanced test solutions that will reinforce our longstanding position as a leading RF and power semiconductor reliability test innovator,” he adds.
“The acquisition of Accel-RF is another step towards strengthening our presence in wireless industry markets including RF through millimetre-wave applications,” says STAr Technologies’ CEO Dr Choon-Leong Lou. “The combination of STAr Technologies expertise in DC-AC and now extending into RF with Accel-RF, creates a formidable platform for addressing rapidly growing applications such as 5G, LiDAR, photonics and advanced radar systems,” he reckons.
