FREMONT, Calif., June 07, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aehr Test Systems (NASDAQ:AEHR), a worldwide supplier of semiconductor test and burn-in equipment, today announced that it has received the first order for its new FOX-XP production test cell. The order totals over $4.5 million and includes a FOX-XP Multi-Wafer Test and Burn-in System, a FOX-XP WaferPakTM Aligner, and an initial set of FOX-XP WaferPak Contactors. $1.4 million of the order is shippable and payable immediately, and the remaining shipments and revenue from this sale are expected to continue through early calendar 2017.
Gayn Erickson, President and CEO of Aehr Test Systems, commented, “We are very excited about this new customer for our FOX-XP multi-wafer burn-in and test system and to receive the first order for a full production test cell of this new product. The customer is one of the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturers and has selected the FOX-XP solution for a high-volume production application where extended burn-in is required to meet their stringent quality standards. The customer’s end product will be used for high-speed communications in enterprise and server applications. It is much more cost-effective to do the burn-in required for this critical application at the wafer level on our new FOX-XP platform instead of in package form.
“The key features of our new FOX-XP test cell that contributed to the cost-effectiveness of the solution include the ability to provide up to 2,048 independent device power supplies per wafer which allows the system to test all the devices on the wafer in parallel, our proprietary WaferPak full wafer contactor which allows us to meet the very high pin count and small pad size and pad pitch requirements of the devices, and our high performance thermal chucks that enable us to manage the temperature of the high power density of the devices on the wafer. The footprint of our 18 wafer test cell is similar to the footprint of typical Semiconductor Test Equipment that can only test one wafer at a time.
“We have worked very closely with this customer to meet their wafer’s special test requirements by using our proprietary WaferPak full-wafer contactor and enhancing the FOX-XP system capabilities to meet their needs. We believe that the FOX-XP test cell is a perfect fit for this new and exciting application. The customer is forecasting device capacity growth that will drive the need for additional production burn-in capacity for multiple years into the future.
“With this new customer, we now have two very high quality lead customers for our new FOX-XP system. We could not be more pleased and believe that both of these customers represent a significant opportunity for Aehr Test with our FOX Wafer Level Test and Burn-in products in not only the initial applications but also with other application areas at both of these customers. We look forward to expanding our initial customer list as we address the many other opportunities where our multi-wafer test and burn-in systems can deliver significant cost and quality of test advantages to our customers.”
Aehr Test’s FOX-XP system is the company’s next-generation multi-wafer test solution that is capable of functional test and burn-in/cycling of flash memories, microcontrollers, sensors, optical devices, laser diodes, VCSELs, LEDs and other leading-edge ICs in wafer form before they are assembled into multi-die packages or other applications where known good die are critical. These end applications can span enterprise solid state drives, automotive devices, highly valuable mobile applications, communications and mission critical integrated circuits and sensors.
The FOX-XP system utilizes Aehr Test's FOX WaferPak contactor, which provides a cost effective solution for making full wafer electrical die contact in a multi-wafer environment. Aehr Test’s WaferPak contactors contain up to tens of thousands of probes to contact all die simultaneously on wafers and substrates up to 300mm. FOX-XP systems may be configured to test more than 50 wafers in parallel using multiple FOX-XP systems in a single test cell which occupies a very efficient manufacturing space footprint. Aehr Test estimates the test equipment and consumables for the emerging multi-wafer level test and burn-in market will add $200 million to $300 million to its served available market.
About Aehr Test Systems
Headquartered in Fremont, California, Aehr Test Systems is a worldwide provider of test systems for burning-in and testing logic and memory integrated circuits and has an installed base of more than 2,500 systems worldwide. Increased quality and reliability needs of the Automotive and Mobility integrated circuit markets are driving additional test requirements, capacity needs and opportunities for Aehr Test products in package and wafer level test. Aehr Test has developed and introduced several innovative products, including the ABTSTM and FOX families of test and burn-in systems and the DiePak® carrier. The ABTS system is used in production and qualification testing of packaged parts for both lower-power and higher-power logic as well as all common types of memory devices. The FOX system is a full wafer contact test and burn-in system used for burn-in and functional test of complex devices, such as leading-edge memories, digital signal processors, microprocessors, microcontrollers and systems-on-a-chip. The DiePak carrier is a reusable, temporary package that enables IC manufacturers to perform cost-effective final test and burn-in of bare die. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.aehr.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on information available to Aehr Test as of the date hereof and actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied due to risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding Aehr Test's expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the FOX products, including statements regarding future market opportunities and conditions, expected product shipment dates and customer orders or commitments. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, acceptance by customers of the FOX and WaferPak contactor technologies, acceptance by customers of the FOX-XP system, WaferPak Aligner and WaferPak contactors shipped upon receipt of a purchase order and the ability of new products to meet customer needs or perform as described, as well as general market conditions, customer demand and acceptance of Aehr Test’s products and Aehr Test’s ability to execute on its business strategy. See Aehr Test’s recent 10-K, 10-Q and other reports from time to time filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a more detailed description of the risks facing Aehr Test’s business. Aehr Test disclaims any obligation to update information contained in any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release.