CDME Provides Full-Support Services for Non-contact Probe Station Technology

The mission of our CDME team is simple  – to utilize the technical assets and expertise of The Ohio State University to help small- to mid-size manufacturing companies commercialize their innovations. Kubilay Sertel, founder of TeraProbes, Inc., approached CDME to help him realize his newest innovation – the world's first probe station that offers non-contact characterization of electronic devices and integrated circuits on both individual chips and entire wafers.

Sertel's invention rivals conventional contact-based probes, which unavoidably result in damage to the probe and wafer during tests due to direct physical contact. TeraProbes' technique is based on quasi-optical coupling of test signals, which enable contact-free electrical measurements. This simple approach allows for wafers to be accurately characterized for quality control in a fully-automated manner. A great deal of time and money can now be afforded to manufacturers and research institutions by using this non-contact probing method. 

Kubilay found customized solutions to turn his novel invention into a commercial product at CDME, "We have been collaborating with CDME since its inception. We consider ourselves lucky to have access to its facilities and talent". The team at The Ohio State University's CDME rallied behind Kubilay's idea and pooled the appropriate talent and resources together to transport his novelty into manufactured reality. 

Creative services were provided to TeraProbes, Inc., by CDME's Industrial Design intern, Vladi Kotov. Vladi's creative expertise took the non-contact probe process mainstream by capturing footage of the active probe station and creating a marketing video that TeraProbes, Inc., can use to showcase its technology. "Capitalizing on the strengths of our students at CDME is essential. These bright minds bring a fresh perspective to our members' projects and can make the difference between a muted entry to market versus a roar. They experience and view marketing, commercialization and design in a way that is dynamic and effective", adds Libby Culley, Marketing and Outreach Coordinator at CDME. 

Vladi describes the benefits of his working experience, "Working with Kubilay on his TeraProbes project was a great opportunity. My role in this project was to capture film footage of the TeraProbes machine and to compose footage into a series of promotional and instructional videos. This challenged me to interpret something very rigid and utilitarian as a marketable product with a consumer demographic of lab technicians eager for solutions to their microchip testing frustrations. As an industrial design intern, this project gave me more experience working with a camera and making strong promotional content using video editing and interesting visual effects."

Our student employees gain vital experience and round out a diverse team at CDME, which includes a large host of professionals with extensive engineering, business development and marketing careers. The people and service offerings at CDME are a rich compliment to member projects. "During the business development and prototyping phases of TeraProbes, Inc., CDME has been instrumental by providing support, [and] guidance, as well as mentorship. We very much appreciate the help we continue to receive from CDME in producing marketing materials, accessing collaborative leads and prototyping/manufacturing support.", explains TeraProbes' Sertel.

CDME congratulates Kubilay Sertel and TeraProbes, Inc., on the commercialization of his non-contact probing method and thanks him for the opportunity to do what we do best!