Latest NewsAEHR TEST SYSTEMS WINS PARALLEL MEMORY TESTER ORDER FROM TSMC
Fremont, CA, July 20, 2000 – Aehr Test Systems (NASDAQ:AEHR) announced today that it has received an order from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) for Aehr Test’s MTX-R massively parallel test system. The MTX-R system’s parallel test and burn-in capabilities will be used in the Reliability Assurance Laboratory to improve the process reliability and yield of TSMC.
TSMC (NYSE: TSM) originated the concept of the integrated circuit (IC) foundry. Founded in 1987, TSMC has become the world’s largest dedicated semiconductor foundry business. It posted annual sales of US$2.3 billion in 1999 and currently employs over 13,000 people worldwide.
“The customer told us that the MTX-R was chosen because of its high performance and its comprehensive suite of analytical tools,” said CJ Meurell, president and chief operating officer of Aehr Test Systems. “The MTX-R is characterized by the quality of its signals and is well adapted to perform essential reliability assurance work during the monitoring of critical memory production processes.”
The MTX-R memory test system can be programmed to perform a wide variety of functional tests with high accuracy using an ATE Class pattern generator. “The MTX-R will be used by TSMC in a critical area where the quality of the production line will be continuously monitored,” added Meurell.
Already put to the test by several leading memory manufacturers, the MTX Massively Parallel Test System has correlated extremely well with the test results of high-speed testers. This allows manufacturers to offload up to 70% of the tests traditionally performed on high-speed testers and more cost-effectively test semiconductor memories. High-speed testers are then used only for the parametric tests and high-speed sorting that require their high performance.
The MTX-R’s powerful pattern generator, dual level compare and flexible timing system allow manufacturers to use the system to test most memory devices currently in production, including SRAM, SDRAM, RDRAM, DDR SDRAM, and DRAM.
“By incorporating the MTX-R into the memory device test process, I believe manufacturers can substantially reduce their equipment expenditures at production levels,” noted Rhea Posedel, Chief Executive Officer of Aehr Test Systems. “This can lead to significant reductions in the cost of memory production. Lower test costs are required to bring the overall manufacturing costs of memory devices down.”
About Aehr Test
Aehr Test Systems, headquartered in Fremont, California, has been a leading provider of systems for burning-in and testing DRAMs and other integrated circuits since 1977, and has shipped over 2,000 systems worldwide. Aehr Test has developed and introduced two new innovative product families, the MTX system and DiePak® carrier. The MTX is a massively parallel test system capable of processing thousands of memory devices simultaneously. The DiePak 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 (KGD) market.Safe Harbor Statement
This release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties relating to projections regarding timing of new product introduction and customer acceptance of Aehr Test's products. Actual results may vary from projected results. These risks and uncertainties include technological risks in design and development and the potential emergence of alternative technologies which could adversely affect demand for Aehr Test's products. See Aehr Test's 10-K and most recent 10-Q filed with the SEC for additional risks affecting the Company.