Visit Standex Electronics at Booth #1992 to discuss with our experts your needs for High Frequency and High Density Reed Relays in your ATE applications
As the semiconductor and electronics testing industry accelerates toward higher performance and miniaturization, the demand for precision, reliability, and speed in Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) has never been greater. At the heart of this transformation lies an unassuming but critical component: the High Frequency Reed Relay. Designed to deliver unmatched signal integrity, switching accuracy, and long-term durability, high frequency reed relays are reshaping how engineers approach complex test challenges in radio frequency (RF), high-speed digital, and mixed-signal environments.
Meeting the Demands of the ATE Industry
The ATE industry is tasked with validating increasingly complex semiconductor devices, printed circuit boards (PCBs), and systems that power everything from smartphones to advanced automotive electronics. As test requirements climb into the gigahertz range, traditional electromechanical relays and solid-state switches often struggle with parasitic effects, insertion loss, or leakage currents that compromise test accuracy.
High frequency reed relays address these issues head-on. Their sealed glass envelope design ensures a controlled environment for the reed switch, minimizing contact resistance and extending operational life. At the same time, the miniature form factor and superior RF performance make them ideal for dense test system architectures, where space and reliability are at a premium.
Why High Frequency Reed Relays from Standex Electronics?
Several attributes make reed relays particularly well-suited for high frequency ATE solutions:
1. Exceptional Signal Integrity
Reed relays offer ultra-low capacitance and minimal insertion loss, ensuring that signals up to several gigahertz are switched without distortion. This is critical in testing RF devices, where even minor degradation can skew results.
2. Isolation and Low Leakage
The hermetically sealed reed switch provides isolation levels far beyond many alternatives. Low leakage currents ensure that sensitive measurements, such as high-resistance or low-current tests, remain accurate and repeatable.
3. Compact Footprint
Modern ATE systems demand high-density switching arrays. High frequency reed relays are designed with compact packages, enabling engineers to pack more functionality into limited PCB real estate without sacrificing performance.
4. Durability and Long Life
With millions of operations possible, reed relays ensure dependable service life. This robustness directly translates to reduced downtime and maintenance costs in high-throughput test environments.
5. Versatility Across Applications
Whether for RF, analog, or mixed-signal testing, reed relays adapt seamlessly to a wide spectrum of test requirements, offering flexibility for evolving technology platforms.
Application in Automatic Test Equipment
In ATE, where precision is non-negotiable, high frequency reed relays provide a proven solution for several demanding scenarios:
• Semiconductor Testing: As integrated circuits scale down in size and scale up in performance, reliable high-speed signal routing is vital. Reed relays allow accurate measurement of RF, analog, and digital signals without introducing errors.
• Board-Level Testing (ICT & Functional Test): High-density reed relay matrices can switch thousands of test nodes efficiently, ensuring fast throughput and accurate coverage.
• RF Module and Antenna Testing: With 5G, IoT, and Wi-Fi 6 devices pushing frequencies higher, reed relays deliver the signal transparency needed for RF front-end validation.
• Automotive Electronics: Safety-critical electronics, from radar sensors to ADAS systems, rely on rigorous test protocols. High frequency reed relays help ensure compliance with stringent automotive standards.
Technology That Drives Differentiation
Unlike conventional relays, high frequency reed relays combine mechanical robustness with RF finesse. Manufacturers achieve this by optimizing:
• Contact Materials: Ruthenium plating enhance contact durability and reduce wear.
• Shielding and Packaging: Advanced magnetic shielding minimizes crosstalk between adjacent relays, crucial for high-density test cards.
• Thermal Management: Optimized coil designs minimize heat generation, preventing thermal drift during long test cycles.
• Broadband Performance: Relays are now available with frequency ratings well into the gigahertz range, ensuring compatibility with next-generation ATE requirements.
Industry Trends Fueling Adoption
1. 5G & Beyond: Testing millimeter-wave devices and RF modules requires components that can switch cleanly at frequencies above 20 GHz. High frequency reed relays meet this challenge.
2. Miniaturization: As devices shrink, so must test systems. Reed relays’ compactness aligns perfectly with the trend toward dense, modular ATE architectures.
3. Cost Efficiency: Longer service life and reduced signal degradation cut operational costs for test houses and semiconductor fabs.
4. Hybrid Test Strategies: Reed relays often complement solid-state switching in hybrid test systems, offering the best of both worlds: speed and precision.
Customer Benefits
When engineers adopt high frequency reed relays in their ATE solutions, they gain:
• Confidence in Measurement Accuracy – Minimal signal distortion ensures true device characterization.
• Improved Throughput – Reliable switching reduces retests and accelerates time-to-market.
• Lower Total Cost of Ownership – Long life cycles and fewer replacements drive down maintenance costs.
• Future-Proofing – With relays designed for emerging high-frequency standards, ATE systems remain relevant for years.
A Case for Reliability
Consider a semiconductor manufacturer developing RF chips for 5G base stations. The test system must measure performance at frequencies up to 26 GHz, with strict requirements for signal fidelity. Conventional relays would introduce insertion loss that compromises accuracy. By integrating high frequency reed relays, the manufacturer achieves cleaner signal switching, reduces test time, and improves first-pass yield—all while lowering overall system maintenance costs.
This example illustrates the broader industry shift: as testing requirements grow more complex, only solutions that combine precision, durability, and efficiency will thrive.
Looking Ahead
The ATE market is forecasted to grow significantly as semiconductors become the foundation of every connected device. High frequency reed relays will remain an enabling technology, ensuring that test systems keep pace with innovation. Future developments are expected to push relays into even higher frequency ranges, integrate smarter diagnostic features, and further reduce size while maintaining rugged performance.
As the global electronics ecosystem evolves, high frequency reed relays stand out as silent enablers—small components that make enormous contributions to the accuracy and efficiency of modern test systems.
Be sure to visit Standex’s product knowledge experts at Semicon West 2025 and schedule a visit at the show. Get in touch with your local Standex Electronics contact or send them an email via [email protected]
For further information, please contact
Werner Ludes, Marketing EMEA
Phone +49 (0) 7733 9253 205
[email protected]
About Standex Electronics
Standex Electronics is a worldwide market leader in the design, development and manufacture of standard and custom electro-magnetic components, including magnetics products and reed switch-based solutions.
Headquartered in Fairfield, Ohio, USA, Standex Electronics has eleven manufacturing facilities in seven countries, located in the United States, Germany, China, Mexico, United Kingdom, Japan and India. Standex Electronics is a worldwide preferred partner for high quality custom engineered solutions.
For more information on Standex Electronics, please visit us on the web at standexelectronics.com.