Advantest Announces New Versatile, High-Throughput Test Solution for NAND/Nonvolatile Flash Memory ICs
29 November 2021 - 08:05AM
Leading semiconductor test equipment supplier Advantest Corporation
(TSE: 6857) has introduced a new high-throughput memory tester for
NAND flash devices that can perform functional testing of chips
while delivering highly accurate timing, repeatability and failure
detection. With data-transfer speeds that are more than five times
faster than its predecessor, the new T5221 system is designed to
improve production efficiencies while reducing test costs for wafer
sorting, built-in self-testing (BIST) and wafer-level burn-in
(WLBI).
Worldwide sales of NAND wafer test equipment for
multi-stacked type probers are approximately US$100 million per
year, accounting for an estimated seven percent of the total memory
market. As the market grows, customers are shifting away from
high-functionality wafer-sorting test equipment toward more
cost-effective design-for-test (DFT) and BIST strategies using
multi-probe systems.
The T5221 is optimized for use with a
multi-wafer prober. The system controller can simultaneously manage
up to 12 test stations, each with independent testing capabilities.
The combined-array architecture reduces test times while the
tester’s massive parallelism allows it to perform wafer-level
testing on up to 1,152 devices at once.
The system’s test stations do not add to the
overall footprint because they are housed within the multi-wafer
prober. This allows the T5221 platform to use much less floor space
than Advantest’s previous nonvolatile memory tester and a
standalone prober.
The new tester can be docked with either a
12-stage multi-wafer prober for use in mass production or single-
or dual-wafer probers in engineering environments.
Probe card design has been simplified to lower
both the cost of ownership and cost of test. The unit incorporates
a combined performance board that eliminates the need for a printed
circuit board on the probe card.
System features include two driver pins and one
I/O pin for each device under test as well as a flexible
algorithmic pattern generator (ALPG), a waveform generator and
various self-diagnostic functions.
To further enhance the T5221’s performance
range, an optional upgrade is available to boost the power-supply
level as high as 28 volts while still measuring small currents down
to one nanoampere (nA). These capabilities are not available in
many competitive products.
There is even a “green” element to the new
tester. The environmentally friendly design eliminates the use of
toxic substances in separating and disassembling the system’s
parts.
The T5221’s operation is fully compatible with
Advantest’s legacy memory solutions to provide users with a
seamless transition from previous generations of equipment.
“The launch of our T5221 platform fits with
Advantest’s strategy to offer new advantages in the NAND
wafer-level test market,” said Masayuki Suzuki, executive vice
president of the Memory Test Business Unit for Advantest
Corporation. “With this system’s advanced performance hardware and
high-speed data-transfer capabilities, we can significantly reduce
test time and costs compared to competitive products.”
T5221 testers are expected to begin shipping to
customers by the first quarter of 2022.
About Advantest Corporation
Advantest (TSE: 6857) is the leading manufacturer of automatic test
and measurement equipment used in the design and production of
semiconductors for applications including 5G communications, the
Internet of Things (IoT), autonomous vehicles, artificial
intelligence (AI), machine learning, smart medical devices and
more. Its leading-edge systems and products are integrated
into the most advanced semiconductor production lines in the
world. The company also conducts R&D to address emerging
testing challenges and applications, produces multi-vision
metrology scanning electron microscopes essential to photomask
manufacturing, and offers groundbreaking 3D imaging and analysis
tools. Founded in Tokyo in 1954, Advantest is a global company
with facilities around the world and an international commitment to
sustainable practices and social responsibility. More
information is available at www.advantest.com.
ADVANTEST CORPORATION3061 Zanker RoadSan Jose, CA 95134, USAAmy
Goldamy.gold@advantest.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/42860728-ace2-492a-96d9-3d8b2d77a227