Advantest Introduces High Performance, Fully Integrated SoC Test Cell Solution For Consumer Devices at Semicon West; Also Demonstrates New Applications Modules, EDA Link for Feature-Rich, Versatile Test

Unsurpassed Parallelism, Ease of Use Meet Cost, Complexity Challenges of Consumer IC Market While Setting New Performance Standards SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., July 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Advantest Corporation (TSE: 6857, NYSE: ATE), the world's leading supplier of semiconductor test equipment, is introducing a new, high performance SoC test cell solution for manufacturers of IC consumer devices at Semicon West, Booth 7347, July 17-19 at San Francisco's Moscone Center. Advantest's integration of the handler and interfacing along with the tester and software products into a complete test cell offers the industry a new order of test solution for consumer SoCs. The turn-key, highly parallel solution is comprised of Advantest's new T2000 LS mainframe and new high-density application modules along with its new M4841 state-of-the-art handler -- a complete test cell optimized for very high performance targeted to price-sensitive makers of today's complex consumer device ICs. For decades the established leader in parallel test technology for the memory market, Advantest has now applied its expertise to revolutionize test in the non-memory, SoC market. In addition, Advantest has long designed and manufactured its own handlers, as well as testers, and the company has developed advanced handler technology that, together with its state-of-the-art SoC test systems, contributes to significantly lower cost of test. At Semicon, Advantest is showcasing its test system, T2000 LS mainframe coupled with its M4841 Dynamic Test Handler, providing a cutting-edge test solution for a range of complex, highly integrated consumer devices. (See accompanying release with details on test cell and demonstration.) With parallel testing of sixteen high pincount devices and a throughput of 18,500 Units Per Hour (UPH), Advantest's new test cell offers the industry's most cost-effective, high-volume digital consumer solution available. R. Keith Lee, president and CEO of Advantest America, says, "Our customers in the consumer device segment of the industry need reliable, accurate high- volume testing for devices that are very complex and very dense. Along with these requirements, they need to lower test costs continually to keep pace with the downward pricing pressures that characterize the consumer products market. Advantest is able to meet customers' needs by leveraging the strengths of our memory test product line and applying handler solutions. Together they make for a single vendor high-performance test cell that only Advantest can deliver. Drawing on the company's diverse engineering and applications resources, Advantest is able to cross-pollinate test technology and solutions for the digital consumer market, providing proven, elegantly simple state-of-the-art test capabilities." Software Augments Test Versatility The two new applications modules being demonstrated on this new test equipment are a very high density 800Mbps digital channel module and a 32- channel PMU module. The 800MDM digital pin electronics module houses 128 channels in a single test head slot and is capable of up to 800Mbps for high speed data busses such as DDR2. The 32-channel PMU module is useful for general DC measurements as well as ADC/DAC testing, and provides a low-cost solution ideal for testing analog inputs and outputs on consumer devices. At Semicon, information will also be available about Advantest's other applications modules for the T2000 open architecture platform. In addition to this singular test cell solution, Advantest is also demonstrating ATE-to-EDA linkage tools that compress time-to-market. Advantest's EDA STIL software tools include: -- Design and Test Data Viewer (DTV), which eliminates the data format barriers between design and tester -- SCAN FF Map, which uses statistical methods to systematically narrow down defects observed across multiple wafers quickly and automatically -- Virtual Test Express, which integrates the device simulator with the tester simulator for seamless device test debug without silicon, dramatically reducing lead time from design to volume manufacturing All of these new products are available now. Advantest is also participating in two SEMI TechXPOT technology sessions Gary Fleeman, Advantest America's director of memory product engineering, will discuss "Critical Issues in Test" on Tuesday at 3:20 p.m. R. Keith Lee, president and CEO of Advantest America, will participate in the Executive Test Summit panel discussion on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. About Advantest Advantest Corporation is the world's leading supplier of automatic test equipment (ATE) to the semiconductor industry. Advantest's SoC, logic, memory, mixed-signal and RF testers and device handlers are integrated into the most advanced semiconductor fabrication lines in the world. Founded in Tokyo in 1954, Advantest established its North American subsidiary in 1982 and its European subsidiary in 1984. More information is available at http://www.advantest.com.