Custom Thermal Test Chips
and Thin-Film Microheaters
Custom resistive heater chips designed to reproduce an agreed heated footprint and power distribution for cooling and package evaluation. We review resistance, supply limits, operating temperature and the thermal interface together; inspection and temperature-characterization scope are defined in the quotation. For qualifying cold plates, thermal interface materials, lids and packages, delivered as diced chips or on the wafer.
per chip, typical
edge length
typical, ±2% on request
order
A heater die designed around your measurement
Cooling and interface tests are only as good as the heat source. We design the heater to your heated area, power density and zone map, and put the contacts and sensors where your fixture needs them.
Schematic: two independently driven zones with drive and return pads, a separate RTD sense line, and the thermal stack below. Heated zones, resistance and pad layout are designed per specification.
Single-zone heaters
One serpentine element sized to your footprint and resistance, with wide pads for wire, ribbon or spring-probe contact.
Multi-zone and hotspot chips
Independently driven zones to reproduce hotspots and non-uniform power maps, with shared or separate returns.
Integrated temperature sensing
Two distinct options: a local thin-film RTD element on the chip, or four-wire measurement of the heater resistance, which gives a calibrated effective heater temperature rather than a hotspot map. Characterization scope is agreed in advance. See temperature sensors.
Delivery formats
Diced chips to your die size, chips on carrier, or full wafers; backside metallized or bare for your interface material.
Custom Thermal Test Chips and Thin-Film Microheaters
Scope and specification options. Every figure is confirmed for your program in the quotation.
Typical ranges
The values below are typical process windows; the quotation states the specification for your chip.
| Parameter | Typical | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Substrate | Silicon 200-725 µm with oxide or nitride isolation under the heater; glass; AlN for high heat flux | Heater-to-substrate isolation and breakdown requirement stated per program; customer-supplied substrates reviewed |
| Heater metal | NiCr, Pt, TiW, W; Au or Al contact overlay | Chosen for resistance, stability and temperature |
| Resistance | 0.5 Ω to several kΩ per zone, chosen with the power and supply limits | Resistance, voltage and current are reviewed together (100 W into 0.5 Ω is 14 A, which sets the film, trace and pad design); tolerance ±5% typical at a stated reference temperature, ±2% with laser or design trim |
| Heated area | 1 × 1 mm to 25 × 25 mm; larger on inquiry | Zone count and layout per design |
| Power | 1 W to 100 W class per chip | Depends on substrate, die thickness, backside finish, interface material, mounting pressure and cooling; continuous versus pulsed operation, duty cycle and maximum heater temperature are set per program and confirmed by test where agreed |
| Contacts | Au pads for wire bond or probe; solderable pads on request | Pad size and placement per fixture |
| Passivation | PECVD SiO₂ or SiN; ALD Al₂O₃ where a thin barrier is needed | Optional, per environment |
| Inspection | Resistance of every zone on every chip, measured on the wafer before dicing at a stated reference temperature; optical inspection | Report per lot as standard, per die on request; thermal mapping and burn-in are separate agreed items |
From footprint to tested chips
- 01Define the heaterHeated area, zones, power, resistance, pad positions, sensor needs.
- 02LayoutMeander geometry and film thickness set to the resistance target; GDS returned for approval.
- 03FabricationMetal deposition and lift-off or subtractive metal etching, passivation, pad overlay.
- 04TestResistance of every zone on every chip before dicing; burn-in and thermal mapping as separately agreed items.
- 05Dice and deliverChips to size with identification, or wafers with a map.
For a heater quotation
| Item | What helps |
|---|---|
| Footprint | Chip size, heated area and zone layout, or the device it should mimic |
| Electrical | Target resistance or supply voltage and current limit per zone; number of independent zones; DC or pulsed operation and duty cycle; target heater temperature |
| Interface | Backside finish, bare or metallized; interface material, cooling arrangement and mounting pressure you will use |
| Sensing | Local RTD, thermocouple, or four-wire heater resistance; required characterization range, points and report content |
| Quantity | Chips or wafers, delivery format, target date |
Questions engineers ask before ordering
Can you deliver diced heater chips?
Yes. Chips are diced to your die size and identified, or delivered on the wafer with a map. Backside can be bare or metallized for your interface material.
What do you need to quote a heater die?
Chip size, heated area and zone layout, target resistance or supply voltage and power, pad positions, sensing needs, quantity and date. A sketch is enough; drawings can follow.
Can you add a temperature sensor on the same chip?
Yes. A thin-film RTD line or four-wire heater sensing can be fabricated on the same chip; calibration scope is agreed before fabrication.
Processes usually combined with this work
Start your project.
Initial response within one business day.
Share your process requirements, substrate, and production volume. A Nanosystems JP Inc. engineer gives an initial response, typically within one business day. A written quotation typically follows within 7-10 business days after we receive the required information and complete any prerequisite NDA.