everything RF recently interviewed Vince Mallette, the Director of Global Sales and Marketing at MPI Corporation. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, he leverages his expertise to drive the success of MPI-Corporation. Vince completed his bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering from École de Technologie Supérieure (ÉTS), Québec, Canada.
Q. Can you tell us about MPI Corporation? What key milestones have shaped the company’s evolution across its various business segments?
Vince Mallette: MPI Corporation, founded in 1995 and headquartered in Taiwan, is a global leader in semiconductor test and measurement solutions. The company operates across four divisions — Advanced Semiconductor Test (AST), Probe Card Solutions (PC), Thermal Test (Thermal), and Celadon Systems — each bringing specialized expertise to address the diverse and evolving needs of the semiconductor industry.
Within the AST division, the introduction of the TS3500 Series (automated 300 mm probe stations) and the WaferWallet® family, offering full automation and seamless wafer handling, firmly established MPI as a credible and trusted supplier in the semiconductor test space. These innovations significantly improved throughput, repeatability, and operator efficiency for our customers.
More recently, the rapidly expanding silicon photonics (SiPh) market has created disruptive new testing requirements. This has provided MPI with the opportunity to shine — leveraging our deep understanding of customer measurement challenges to deliver best-in-class solutions. By combining application-specific engineering with leading-edge measurement integration, we help customers achieve exceptional accuracy, repeatability, and productivity in their SiPh test environments.
Today, MPI continues to invest in talented staff, design innovation, manufacturing, and global support to strengthen its leadership position across all divisions, while remaining agile to address emerging technologies such as sub-THz, 6G, data center circuits, and advanced automotive sensing applications.
Q. MPI operates across four distinct divisions. How do these units complement one another, and what sets the Advanced Semiconductor Test division apart within this broader ecosystem?
Vince Mallette: The four divisions of MPI bring unique strengths to the table, but their real value comes from how they work together. We don’t operate in isolation — we actively collaborate across divisions to design fully integrated solutions that address the customer’s entire workflow, not just one element of it. This means leveraging expertise in probe card technology, precision thermal control, and high-reliability probe interfaces alongside AST’s advanced probe stations and test systems integrations.
Rather than simply responding to customer requests, our approach is to proactively identify and address measurement challenges through joint engineering projects between divisions. This continuous exchange of knowledge and resources ensures our customers are presented with solutions that are technically optimized, operationally efficient, and ready for the most demanding applications.
The AST division stands out because it is often the focal point where these technologies converge — integrating mechanical precision, RF and mmWave measurement capability, thermal performance, and automation into a single, cohesive platform. By combining this system-level integration with cross-division expertise, MPI can deliver solutions that are not only best-in-class in their category but also seamlessly interoperable across the broader semiconductor test environment.
Q. Can you walk us through MPI’s RF probe portfolio? What frequency ranges do you support, and how does probe performance evolve as we scale up into mmWave bands?
Vince Mallette: MPI’s RF probe portfolio is built around our TITAN™ Probe Technologies, which is designed to deliver industry-leading electrical performance, mechanical stability, and long lifetime across a wide range of frequency bands. We cover the spectrum from DC to 250 GHz, with TITAN™ probes optimized for device characterization, load-pull, noise parameter measurement, high-power applications, and optical integration.
Our latest development, the TITAN™ T250 Series, pushes single-sweep broadband measurement capability up to 250 GHz with exceptional insertion loss, return loss, and crosstalk performance. This next-generation single-sweep broadband probe with a ruggedized 0.5mm coaxial connector is engineered to address the demands of sub-THz device characterization while maintaining the repeatability, alignment accuracy, and ease-of-use that TITAN™ is known for.
TITAN™ Probe
The portfolio includes:
- Broadband Probes from DC–26 GHz up through DC–250 GHz
- Low-Loss Probes for load-pull and noise parameter testing
- High-Power Probes for GaN and other high-power RF device applications
- DC and low-frequency Multi-Contact Probes for up to 25 colinear pads and 50 micron pitch
- MPI TITAN™ Calibration Substrates for precision probe and system calibration
- QAlibria® and SENTIO® Software Suites, based on multi-touch and single-window GUI for simplified calibration routines across system types and automated test capability
As frequencies scale into the mmWave and sub-THz range, maintaining signal integrity becomes more challenging. Our durable nickel-alloy MEMS tips, unique protrusion design for precise pad contact and excellent tip visibility, as well as precision manufacturing techniques all work together to ensure repeatable calibration and accurate measurement results, even at the highest frequencies. Combined with our long probe life and competitive cost of ownership, this makes TITAN™ the choice for customers seeking both performance and reliability in wafer-level RF and mmWave testing.
Q. Can you tell us more about MPI’s RF probe systems? RF and mmWave probe systems play a vital role in validating high-frequency semiconductor devices across diverse applications — from 5G and radar to satellite communications and high-speed data links. How do your solutions support testing needs across such a wide spectrum of technologies?
Vince Mallette: All of MPI’s RF and mmWave probe systems are engineered with measurement performance as the starting point. Every mechanical and system-level decision is made to ensure maximum RF integrity, measurement accuracy and directivity, repeatability, and usability in the actual test environment.
One example is our THz-Selection™ option, which allows third-party frequency extender heads to be positioned extremely close to the device under test. This thoughtful design minimizes cable and waveguide loss and maximizes key performance metrics such as directivity and power dynamic range — both critical for accurate mmWave and sub-THz measurements.
Similarly, for load-pull applications, our manual and automated stations are designed to position a passive tuner as close to the DUT as possible, and our TITAN™ Low Loss RF Probes are designed for direct connection to the tuners without the need for a cable, increasing tuning range and ensuring optimal impedance control. Many of these performance-driven features — such as IceFreeEnvironment™, Probe Hover Control (PHC™), and Automated Test over Multiple Temperatures (ATMT™) — are available on both manual and automated platforms, so customers can choose the level of automation without compromising measurement capability.
Automation is another key differentiator. Our WaferWallet® family extends automation in the TS3500 Series by enabling fully automated testing across multiple wafers at different temperatures without breaking thermal conditions. From the original WaferWallet® to the WaferWallet®MAX and WaferWallet®ULTRA, these solutions improve throughput, reduce handling time, and preserve measurement accuracy — whether in R&D or production test environments.
By combining RF performance engineering with flexible automation and operator-friendly design, MPI’s probe systems are built to handle the broad spectrum of today’s applications, from 5G PA Power Amplifier characterization, to silicon photonics, to next-generation radar and satellite communications. The result is measurement confidence — knowing that the system’s mechanical, electrical, and thermal design all work together to produce accurate, repeatable data.
An MPI RF probe system
Q. Why is wafer-level RF and mmWave device characterization such a critical part of the modern IC development cycle? How does it impact design validation, modeling, and production efficiency for high-frequency devices?
Vince Mallette: Wafer-level RF and mmWave characterization provides accurate, repeatable measurement data at a critical step early in the development process — before devices are packaged. Proper characterization allows designers to validate models, optimize performance, and identify issues while changes are still cost-effective to implement.
By correlating measured results directly with simulations, engineers can refine designs faster, improve model accuracy, and reduce the number of fabrication cycles needed. Our own tightly controlled manufacturing processes ensure our TITAN(TM) probes and MPI probers contribute to those critical early-stage measurements. In production, accuracy during wafer-level testing supports yield optimization and process control, enabling manufacturers to meet performance targets consistently, while long-life robust probe tip designs lower the cost of test, adding value to the customer’s bottom line.
For high-frequency devices, where performance can be highly sensitive to layout, materials, and processing, wafer-level characterization ensures that only devices meeting stringent RF and mmWave specifications move forward, accelerating time-to-market and improving overall product quality.
Q. What are the key engineering challenges involved in mmWave wafer probing, particularly in terms of signal integrity, repeatability, and calibration? How does MPI address these?
Vince Mallette: At mmWave frequencies, the same fundamentals that matter at lower RF bands — low loss, high dynamic range, and overall measurement integrity — become far more unforgiving. Shortcuts that may work at 2 GHz or even 30 GHz often fail at 110 GHz and above. For example, calibration methods and calibration substrate designs effective below 30 GHz may not be usable for broadband sweeps into the sub-THz range, and flexible cables that perform acceptably at low RF can severely degrade measurement accuracy at mmWave.
Many vendors now offer broadband frequency extenders well beyond 200 GHz. To fully realize their performance — in terms of dynamic range, power handling, and measurement accuracy — the system must be designed and integrated specifically for these frequencies. Cable lengths, probe positioning, mechanical stability, minimizing undesirable coupling, and thermal control all directly affect signal integrity.
MPI addresses these challenges by designing measurement-driven probe systems rather than simply adapting lower-frequency platforms. Our THZ-Selection™ positioning, rigid low-loss interconnects, and precise probe mechanics ensure the shortest possible RF path and the most stable measurement environment. This uncompromised system design allows customers to extract the maximum performance from their mmWave instrumentation and achieve repeatable, accurate results across the full frequency range.
Q. Which semiconductor technologies and application segments—like 5G, automotive radar, or satellite communications —are currently fueling demand for wafer-level RF and mmWave test solutions?
Vince Mallette: Demand for wafer-level RF and mmWave test solutions is being driven by multiple high-growth sectors, each with its own performance requirements and technical challenges:
- 5G wireless infrastructure and devices – Modern 5G systems rely on complex beamforming architectures, phased-array antennas, and multi-band operation. Accurate wafer-level measurements are critical for validating device performance, linearity, and EVM before packaging, particularly for devices operating in FR2 bands above 24 GHz.
- Automotive radar – The shift toward higher-resolution radar in ADAS and autonomous vehicles is accelerating adoption of 77–81 GHz and beyond, with future systems exploring 140 GHz for improved range and object discrimination. Wafer-level test ensures radar transceivers meet stringent specifications for safety and reliability before integration.
- Satellite communications – Next-generation satellite systems, including LEO constellations, are pushing toward higher frequency bands to deliver greater bandwidth and secure links. This requires precise wafer-level verification of high-frequency front-end components, oscillators, and phased arrays.
- 6G and sub-terahertz R&D – The emerging push toward 6G is a major driver, targeting sub-THz bands (100–300 GHz) for ultra-high data rates, ultra-low latency, and new sensing capabilities. This has spurred innovation in semiconductor processes, advanced packaging, and novel device topologies — all of which demand specialized wafer-level test methodologies to ensure measurement accuracy at extreme frequencies.
Collectively, these sectors share a common need: ultra-precise, repeatable, and high-frequency wafer-level characterization to reduce development cycles, improve yield, and guarantee compliance with demanding performance standards. As the industry moves further into the mmWave and sub-THz domain, wafer-level testing has become a linchpin for next-generation connectivity, automotive safety, secure communications, and advanced sensing applications.
Q. Who are the typical customers for MPI’s RF and mmWave probe systems? Where are these customers located (% breakdown by region)? How does MPI support these customers globally, from initial evaluation to ongoing service and technical support?
Vince Mallette: Our RF and mmWave customers include leading semiconductor manufacturers, foundries, research labs, and defense organizations engaged in applications such as 5G/6G communications, automotive radar, satellite systems, high-speed data links, and silicon photonics.
We are a well-recognized global market leader in this field and serve a truly global customer base, with strong activity in North America, Europe, and Asia. We are seeing continued growth in all regions due to our growing reputation for providing well-thought-out and accurate solutions in mmWave and sub-THz markets.
To support this worldwide footprint, MPI has a dedicated network of application engineers, service specialists, and technical sales professionals strategically located to provide hands-on support at every stage — from the initial evaluation through system integration, calibration, and long-term maintenance.
Our technical marketing team includes recognized experts in RF and mmWave measurement science, enabling customers to benefit from industry-leading application knowledge and close collaboration with major instrumentation partners. This combination of local presence, deep expertise, and global coordination ensures customers can fully optimize their measurement platforms and achieve the highest possible performance in their test environments.
Q. Looking ahead, how is MPI preparing for emerging needs such as sub-THz testing, 6G RFICs, or advanced AI/automotive radar systems?
Vince Mallette: Our approach hasn’t changed just because the industry is now talking about sub-THz, 6G, or other “next big things.” The fundamentals of delivering uncompromised measurement performance remain the same. We work closely with our customers, gather their feedback, and implement the key features and functionality they need — often on accelerated timelines — to ensure their designs can be validated quickly and accurately. Like our tag line, we are “Ready for the Test”.
When necessary, we don’t hesitate to redesign a station or modify core components to meet specific high-frequency performance goals. Our expertise in probe and probe system design allows us to integrate these changes without compromising stability, repeatability, or usability.
By speaking our customers’ language, understanding their measurement challenges, and leveraging our core competencies in RF and mmWave system design, we ensure they have the tools to develop cutting-edge products and bring them to market as quickly as possible — regardless of the target frequency or application.
About MPI Corporation
Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan, MPI Corporation is a global technology leader in the testing of Semiconductors, Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs), Photo Detectors, Lasers, Materials Research, Aerospace, Automotive, Fiber Optic, Electronic Components, and more. MPI’s five main business sectors include Probe Card, Photonics Automation, Advanced Semiconductor Test, Thermal Test, and Celadon Systems.
MPI offers a wide-ranging portfolio of products and services, from advanced probe card technologies, mass production and engineering probe systems, testers, material handlers, inspection systems, and thermal air stream systems. Many of these products are accompanied by state-of-the-art Calibration and Test & Measurement software suites. MPI’s diverse product portfolio and expertise in leading-edge technologies create a healthy environment for employee growth and retention. With the cross-pollination of technologies and talent, we are committed to delivering long-term value to enhance the competitiveness of our customers.
