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AEHR TEST SYSTEMS INTRODUCES NEW MAX3 MONITORED BURN-IN SYSTEM WITH JTAG TESTING CAPABILITIES

FREMONT, CA July 7, 2000 – Aehr Test Systems (Nasdaq: AEHR), a leading supplier of test and burn-in equipment to semiconductor manufacturers, today added a new feature to its popular MAX3 Dynamic Burn-in System, monitored burn-in with deep vector capability (24M deep X 4) for testing devices which use the popular JTAG testing methodology.  The system provides semiconductor manufacturers with the ability to cost-effectively burn-in and functionally test newly emerging devices such as digital signal processors (DSPs), microprocessors, microcontrollers, flash memory and systems-on-a-chip. It also tests and burns-in integrated circuits and supporting devices that operate at today’s lower voltages.

“Monitored burn-in is the next logical step for increasing productivity, by testing devices while burning-in,” said Paul Burke, product manager at Aehr Test Systems. Monitored burn-in/output monitoring identifies passing and failing devices in the burn-in process. It identifies failures during burn-in, eliminating faulty parts from the testing process earlier and giving a greater production cost effectiveness. Output testing also guarantees that the device is actually getting the proper inputs and receiving the specified burn-in to achieve the targeted reliability.

“We designed the MAX3 with output monitoring and deep vector capability to take advantage of JTAG and built-in self test (BIST) for testing today’s leading devices,” said Carl Buck, vice president of marketing. This allows IC manufacturers who use BIST to take advantage of self test in burn-in. JTAG is an industry–standard testing protocol (IEEE Standard 1149) that allows devices to be tested by using as few as four pins to load a long (deep) stream of vectors into the device. The vectors are used for performing BIST, which simplifies testing and returns pass/fail information from the devices.

The MAX3 Output Monitored and Deep Vector Burn-in System features burn-in voltages as low as 0.7 volts DC, providing a single burn-in solution for integrated circuits with line widths down to 0.18 microns and smaller. The system also features 51 amperes per burn-in board and 96 input/output channels—double the number offered by most burn-in systems on the market today—which allows a more complete exercise and monitoring of higher pin-count devices to manufacture  more reliable integrated circuits.  The MAX3 system utilizes Windows NTâ, the powerful and widely used operating system that is both easy to use and able to support a large network of MAX3 systems.

Additional features of the MAX3 system include:
 

  • Memory patterns for both standard and embedded memory
  • Re-configurable vector memory to 24 Mb deep for boundary scan applications
  • High-current capabilities for new highly integrated devices
  • Analog and digital signal generation
  • Backwards compatibility with MAX2, MAX-64000 and ATS-12000 burn-in boards
  • Three separate power supplies
The MAX3 with Output Monitoring will be on display at Semicon West 2000, July 12-14, 2000 in McEnery Hall Pavilion in San Jose, CA, Booth #10727.

Aehr Test Systems
Aehr Test Systems has been a leading provider of semiconductor burn-in and test equipment since 1977 and has shipped more than 2,000 systems world-wide.  Aehr Test recently developed and introduced two new innovative product families, the MTX system and the DiePakâ carrier.  The MTX system is a massively parallel test system capable of processing thousands of memory devices simultaneously.  The DiePakâ carrier is a reusable, temporary package that enables integrated circuit manufacturers to perform cost-effective final test and burn-in of bare die for the Known Good Die market.

Safe Harbor Statement
This release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties relating to projections regarding industry growth and customer demand for the Company’s products. Actual results may vary from projected results. These risks and uncertainties include economic conditions in Asia and elsewhere and the potential emergence of alternative technologies which could adversely affect demand for the Company’s products in fiscal 2001.  See the Company’s 10-Q filed with the SEC for additional risks affecting the Company.

Editors note: Windows NT is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation