Tokyo, Japan, Nov. 12, 2025 – TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL TECHNOLOGIES Co., Ltd., an industrial precious metals organization, has announced the development of TK-SR, a rhodium (Rh) material for probe pins used in probe cards during the front-end processes of semiconductor package manufacturing. This first of its kind product will be exhibited on display at Booth 506 and panel displays at SWTest Asia 2025 from November 20 to November 21 in Fukuoka, Japan.
TANAKA manufactures and supplies various precious metal probe pin materials for the inspection equipment used in the front- and back-end processes of semiconductor manufacturing. Using its proprietary processing technologies, TANAKA is the first company in the world to successfully develop a rhodium probe pin material that simultaneously offers high strength, elasticity, hardness, and electrical conductivity that will extend the lifespans of probe cards and lower their costs.
TK-SR is available in widths as narrow as 18μm, enabling precision inspection for today’s increasingly compact narrow-pitch semiconductor packages. TANAKA plans to ship twice as many of these products as conventional products by 2030.
Probe cards play a critical role in current-carrying tests on silicon wafers during front-end semiconductor processes, using thousands or sometimes tens of thousands of precision probe pins. These pins endure extremely light loads applied hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of times. If a single probe pin bends or breaks, it must be replaced, and in some cases, the entire probe card. That’s why durability is essential. TANAKA’s high-strength, high-elastic limit TK-SR significantly reduces the risk of deformation and breakage, minimizing replacement frequency and improving overall reliability.
To learn more about TANAKA’s probe pin offerings and contributions to the semiconductor market, visit: https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/products/detail/probe-pins/
■ About TANAKA
Since its foundation in 1885, TANAKA has built a portfolio of products to support a diversified range of business uses focused on precious metals. TANAKA is a leader in Japan regarding the volume of precious metals it handles. Over many years, TANAKA has manufactured and sold precious metal products for industry and provided precious metals in such forms as jewelry and assets. As precious metals specialists, all Group companies in Japan and worldwide collaborate on manufacturing, sales, and technology development to offer a full range of products and services. With 5,591 employees, the group’s consolidated net sales for the fiscal year ended December 2024 were 846.9 billion yen.
