The rapid adoption of Wide Band Gap (WBG) semiconductor technologies, particularly Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN), together with emerging Ultra-Wide Band Gap (UWBG) materials such as AlGaN, Aluminum Nitride (AlN), Diamond, β-gallium oxide (β-Ga2O3), and Hexagonal Boron Nitride (h-BN), is reshaping wafer-level electrical testing beyond the capabilities of conventional silicon-based probing infrastructures. The increasingly demanding electrical, thermal, and mechanical operating conditions of these devices require probe cards to evolve from passive interconnects into integrated multiphysics systems capable of supporting high voltages, high current densities, and fast switching transients. This review analyzes the fundamental design constraints governing advanced probe card technologies, including probe-to-wafer contact physics, electrothermal behavior, insulation requirements, parasitic effects, and high-frequency performance. Particular attention is devoted to Vertical MEMS probe card architectures, which enable high contact density, low parasitic inductance, and improved current-carrying capability, making them particularly suitable for modern WBG applications. Emerging solutions, including ceramic insulation structures, controlled-atmosphere testing environments, integrated sensing, and advanced thermal management techniques, are also discussed. Furthermore, the paper examines the evolution of wafer-level testing strategies, from conventional parametric screening to reliability-oriented methodologies inspired by burn-in procedures, highlighting the growing importance of body-diode characterization for early defect detection in SiC devices. Beyond reviewing the current state of the art, this work proposes a structured taxonomy of probe card technologies and outlines a technology roadmap linking future WBG and UWBG device requirements with the evolution of wafer-level testing infrastructures.
Elena Venuti (Thu,) studied this question.