This relationship makes Advantest’s wireless device testing software available to Amarisoft’s ecosystem as well as to Advantest MLT Test System users. By outsourcing test case scripting to Advantest’s engineering team, AMARI Callbox users can leverage their proprietary test engine to execute automated tests seamlessly. Additionally, Advantest provides operator-validated test plans on the same test engine for a comprehensive testing experience.

“Through this collaboration, Advantest is able to deliver its proven test management software to our customers, ensuring their ability to easily implement the software’s best-in-class capabilities and operator-approved test plans,” said Marouan Benabdellah-Chaouni, Amarisoft vice president of sales and marketing. “With Advantest’s proven test software, users can do ad-hoc device testing and derive the best possible performance from their AMARI Callbox.”

The Advantest test management software is available in three main modes. Interactive Mode serves as a virtual panel for rapid troubleshooting of key device functions and end-to-end services, while Developer Mode utilizes Python scripting to control a wide range of network elements via application programming interfaces (APIs). Conformance Mode is the most critical, as it brings validated and automated conformance test plans for network operator certification. The test plans are available in a wide range of test case configurations, including a new range of plans for 5G NR SA and GSMA TS.35, as well as updates to existing test plans which contain more than 2,250 different test scenarios.

The AMARI Callbox Series is designed to operate in accordance with 3GPP standards as both an eNB/gNB and EPC/5GC to test 5G, RedCap, LTE, LTE-M, NB-IoT devices for functional and performance testing. Powered by a deployment quality software suite, the AMARI Callbox is available in five different versions: Mini, Classic, Advanced, Ultimate, and Extreme.

Dinesh Doshi, senior vice president, STBU-W2BI System Test Business Unit at Advantest, noted, “Amarisoft’s cost-effective networking test systems address the needs of a wide range of users, including wireless device OEMs, chipset and module makers, educational institutions, test labs, and wireless R&D organizations. Our portable software is ideally suited for pairing with the AMARI Callbox that can be easily and cost-effectively adapted to the specific model being used with minimal effort, making this a truly synergistic collaboration.” The Advantest software and AMARI Callbox integration is currently in a trial phase with several partners.

About Amarisoft

Amarisoft is a non-conventional software company dedicated to the telecom industry. We are delighted to bring affordable and high-quality solutions to the 4G/5G community to unleash creativity and ultimately expand communications among people. Accessible technology is the foundation of Amarisoft success stories. The company goal is to develop a technology that significantly improves the life of as many people as possible no matter where they are located. We are working on helping companies of all sizes to become players in mobile networks of existing and next generations. For more information, please visit www.amarisoft.com or contact sales@amarisoft.com

Advantest formed ACS in 2020 with the mission of enabling an open solution ecosystem data platform. ACS RTDI is a real-time data infrastructure that securely collects, analyzes, stores and monitors semiconductor test data to empower customers to automate the process of converting insights into actionable test decisions within milliseconds. This helps customers and partners reduce test time, optimize quality and reliability and enhance smart packaging.

“Advantest’s ACS RTDI platform turbocharges decision-making on test floor, while freeing test engineers from the tedium of having to search for needles in data haystacks,” said G. Dan Hutcheson, vice chair and senior fellow, TechInsights. “It lowers test cost with real-time test vector optimization while lowering packaging cost by shifting left systematic final test failures to probe.”

“In the semiconductor test industry, it has historically taken multiple iterations to drive higher yields, improve quality and reliability, and achieve higher throughput and smart packaging. The current file-based approach is performed offline, taking days or even weeks to identify and resolve any issues,” said Michael Chang, vice president and general manager of ACS at Advantest. “We are pleased to be working with industry-leading data analytics partners to enable their cutting-edge applications into our RTDI platform. These partnerships enable customers to take advantage of new levels of data integrity and security across different test nodes and benefit from proven infrastructure solutions that will enable them to achieve new levels of operational efficiency.”  

The ACS RTDI platform integrates data sources across the entire IC manufacturing supply chain while employing low-latency edge computing and analytics in a secure True Zero Trust environment. This innovative infrastructure minimizes the need for human intervention, streamlining overall data utilization across multiple insertions and supporting customers’ databases. Because cyber security remains a top concern among customers, the ACS RTDI platform was architected to be reliable and safe, ensuring hassle-free OS revisions, which protects data from unauthorized access or loss by leveraging True Zero Trust. Overall, the new ACS ecosystem will enable customers to boost quality, yield, and operational efficiencies, and to accelerate product development and new product introductions for years to come.

Partner Endorsements

• PDF Solutions

We are excited to collaborate with Advantest ACS on the launch of the ACS RTDI platform,” said Said Akar, GM, Exensio Analytics at PDF Solutions. “This platform strengthens the joint cloud-to-edge architecture, while utilizing Exensio^® advanced analytics applications to address semiconductor industry use cases targeting quality, test time and yield.”

• proteanTecs

“We see immense value in collaborating with Advantest to bring deep data edge analytics to semiconductor test,” said Uzi Baruch, chief strategy officer, proteanTecs. “Available in the ACS Solution Store, our proteanTecs Edge applications enable mutual customers to discover insights and take action around key metrics, including latent defect detection, power reduction, performance tuning, and 2.5/3D interconnect monitoring.”

• Synopsys

“Our close collaboration with Advantest will provide mutual customers with efficient access to Synopsys’ ACS RTDI-compatible analytics applications,” said Steve Pateras, vice president of marketing, Hardware Analytics and Test at Synopsys. “The availability of Synopsys Silicon.da real-time production analytics applications enables the ACS ecosystem to improve key chip production metrics such as quality, yield and throughput, while also improving key silicon operational metrics such as chip power and performance.”

The HA1200 die-level handler for the V93000 SoC test system tests singulated and/or partially assembled die. While 2.5D/3D packages enable high computing power by enabling minimum pattern length between die, stacking die can increase the risk of mixing good and bad die, leading to yield loss. Yield loss at final test, especially for 2.5D/3D packaged ICs, can cause good die, substrates, or interposers to be discarded. Equipped with Advantest’s HPC-proven ATC technology, the HA1200 enables testing powerful, high-performance SoCs with 100% test coverage. This helps reduce yield loss at final test, thus reducing loss of final multi-die assembled product.

The ATC 2kW solution for the M487x series (M4171, M4871ES and M4872) is designed to test AI/HPC IC packages at final test. The ATC 2kW solution features ultra-high-speed junction temperature (Tj) sensing and response technology to support high-performance ICs being tested at the set temperature and integrates Advantest’s unique force control technology to apply strong, stable, and safe contact to ICs with massive pin quantities. The ATC 2kW solution will support customers’ at-speed device test, enable safe 100% test coverage at final test while simultaneously increasing test quality and performance.

“Demand for AI/HPC ICs is escalating, driven by data centers, automotive, defense and other key applications,” said Kazuyuki Yamashita, Advantest senior vice president. “These ICs generate massive heat during every test process, which makes testing at full speed a challenge. We are pleased to add these new products to our portfolio to support the fast-growing AI/HPC and 2.5D/3D packaging markets.”

Advantest’s new ATC 2kW solution will be available for customer purchase in Q1 2024, and the HA1200 die-level handler will be available in Q2 2024.

To learn more about the new handler products and Advantest’s full line of automated test equipment and materials, visit us in booth 1648 at SEMICON Japan 2023, December 13-15, Tokyo Big Sight.

The T5230 memory test system for NAND/NVM devices adopts a combined array architecture to achieve best-in-class cost-of-test performance for wafer test, including wafer-level burn-in (WLBI) and built-in self-test (BIST). The system can perform on-wafer test of 1,024 memory devices per test head in parallel, delivering high productivity and enabling floor space savings of up to 86%. Multiple test cells are connected per system controller in the T5230, allowing independent wafer test of each test cell. The test cells can be stored in a general multi-wafer prober while minimizing the test cell floor space, and the tester can be docked with probers in both linear and multi-stack configurations. For functional tests at a maximum test rate of 125MHz/250Mbps, the T5230 assures high timing accuracy, repeatability, and failure detection capability.

The T5851-STM32G module is designed to cover the latest generation of protocol NAND devices, including UFS4.0 and PCIe Gen 5 ball grid array (BGA) packaged devices for high-speed system-level NAND testing at up to 32Gbps. Fully upgradeable and compatible with existing T5851 systems, the new module delivers tester-per-DUT (device under test) performance and is qualified for high-volume manufacturing, qualification, reliability and characterization.

Created as an option for the proven T5835 multifunction memory test system, the new high-speed wafer-sort interface enables high-speed NAND Flash/NVM wafer probing (up to 5.4Gbps) with 4,096 full I/O channels. Raw NAND die inside solid-state drives (SSDs) require increasingly higher-speed functionality, necessitating evaluation and test of die performance at the wafer level, not just in package-level final test. The solution delivers high-speed probe interface with wafer-level evaluation of memory core test functionalities during engineering production, contributing to the T5835’s overall value by delivering wider test coverage.

“High-volume storage is driving growth in the market for non-volatile memories, which experts predict will reach US$167 billion by 2032. Makers of the NAND Flash and nonvolatile memories crucial to these drives need fast, reliable solutions to test their devices that won’t drive up test costs,” said Suzuki Masayuki, Executive Vice President, Advantest Memory Business Unit. “With these new solutions added to our high-value memory test arsenal, Advantest is enabling customers to pursue new memory test strategies that will help them meet tightening market demand.”

To learn more about the new memory products and Advantest’s full line of automated test equipment and materials, visit us in booth 1648 at SEMICON Japan 2023, December 13-15, Tokyo Big Sight.

Product Displays

Advantest will be located at booth #317 in Hall B1. This year’s digital display will feature key products, including:

• V93000 EXA Scale SoC test systems, highlighting automotive test solutions and the new XPS128+HV universal VI and power supply card that lowers the cost of test for power management ICs and other high-voltage devices.
• CREA’s power semiconductor test equipment for a wide variety of power devices, including SiC and GaN power testing on wafer DIE and module, typically used in industrial and automotive applications.
• ACSopen solutions ecosystem enabling streaming data access and real-time analytics with integrated test software and hardware monitoring and control to improve semiconductor device yield, quality, and capacity.

Social Media

For the latest updates, visit the Advantest Facebook and LinkedIn pages for live posts during events.

Massive amounts of data processing are required for devices used to power electric vehicles (EVs) and other fast-growing, data-intensive automotive applications such as infotainment systems and forthcoming Level 4 autonomous driving. Advances in semiconductor manufacturing processes bring improvements in functionality as well as enhanced power efficiency for these advanced devices. As a result, thermal design power is actually increasing, causing devices to self-heat during test and making it more difficult to control test temperature. This creates a need for handlers that can perform prompt, stable device temperature management.

Replacing the handler’s prior passive thermal control technology, integrated ATC enables the M4841 to provide a stable, consistent test environment with fast response and high load-tracking characteristics that maintain the device’s internal temperature at the set test temperature, even if dynamic heat fluctuation occurs during the test. This stability enables users to build test programs with unparalleled implementation flexibility – in turn, significantly enhancing overall test productivity.

“Our ATC technology has proven highly effective for other handlers in our portfolio,” said Kazuyuki Yamashita, Senior Vice President at Advantest Corporation. “With demand for high-data-rate devices in automotive, industrial and other markets escalating, passive temperature regulation no longer suffices for our established M4841 model. ATC’s dynamic heat sensing and cooling combined with the handler’s volume production test capabilities creates a comprehensive value-added handler solution for our customers in these markets.”

Advantest’s M4841 handler with ATC 2.0 enables high-throughput test of up to 16 devices in parallel, yielding very high device volumes and supporting a range of complex ICs and packages. Its advanced performance capabilities and features make the M4841 the optimal test handler for high-volume production of devices used in consumer products such as portable digital equipment and automotive systems.

The new ATC option for the M4841 handler will be available in April 2024.

VOICE is the leading conference for the growing global community of users and strategic partners involved with Advantest’s V93000 and T2000 SoC test platforms, memory testers, handlers, test cell solutions, product engineering, and technology development. The annual conference brings together semiconductor test professionals representing the world’s leading integrated device manufacturers (IDMs), foundries, fabless semiconductor companies, and outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) providers to discuss the latest technology advancements and network with peers. 

“VOICE continues to build on the success of over a decade of history, providing a space for technical experts from around the world to gather and discuss the latest test trends, technologies, and challenges facing our industry today,” said Linda Haenel, General Chair of VOICE 2024 and application consultant, Performance Digital Center of Expertise, Advantest Europe. “The upcoming event will showcase a comprehensive technical program covering various relevant topics, such as artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing (HPC), and data analytics. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with professionals from leading semiconductor companies and gain knowledge of emerging technologies and best practices applicable to their work.”

Like previous years, VOICE 2024 will offer a wide array of learning opportunities through technical presentations, keynote addresses and technology kiosks. Advantest’s VOICE 2024 call for papers focuses on these technology tracks and suggested topic areas:

• Artificial Intelligence — AI aided testing, AI-generated code, smart data innovation & big data analytics and solutions addressing artificial intelligence
• 5G/Millimeter Wave— 5G communications, WiGig and wideband Radio Frequency (RF).
• High-Performance Digital— High-Performance Computing (HPC), high-end mobile processors and power distribution.
• Factory Automation— Methodologies, tools, and best practices that address the challenges in device production, including improving test data quality, reducing test excursion, improving OEE, yield, uptime and cost management.
• Parametric Test— Cost of test reduction, throughput improvements, novel test techniques for parametric test or WLR, dynamic and predictive test flows and platform correlation techniques.
• Hardware & Software Design Integration— Utilizing the latest hardware and software features, test cells and new test system enhancements.
• Test Methodologies— Supporting standards and protocols, solutions for the latest testing challenges, cost of test reduction, throughput improvements and time-to-market improvements.
• T2000— Automotive controllers, microcontrollers, power ICs, sensor cameras, massive parallelism, system level testing for SiP, and display driver testing.
• Hot Topics — New market drivers and future trends, secure ID and cyber security, secure cloud, video streaming/telepresence and IoT (wearables, sensors, smart cities and homes).
• Device/System Level Test — Specific procedures, Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output (MIMO) testing, next-generation embedded processors, broadband fiber to the home, testing ICs for autonomous vehicles, and multi-chip system-in-package devices.

Test developers and engineers can submit their abstracts to be considered for presentation at https://voice.advantest.com/call-for-papers/. To be considered, submissions must be received by November 8, 2023. Accepted abstracts will be notified on December 29, 2023. Attendees at the conference sessions in June 2024 will vote for the best papers via the VOICE mobile app, with winning presenters receiving prizes and awards during the closing ceremonies.

For more information about the VOICE 2024 Developer Conference or sponsorship opportunities, visit https://voice.advantest.com/ or email mktgcomms@advantest.com.

About VOICE 2024

Managed by a steering committee of volunteer representatives from Advantest and its customers, VOICE is the leading developer conference for the growing international community of users and strategic partners involved with Advantest’s V93000 and T2000 SoC test platforms as well as Advantest memory testers, handlers and test cell solutions. The conference offers a unique opportunity to take part in making semiconductor testing operations as efficient and cost-effective as possible. Attendees gain and share valuable insights, build long-lasting relationships and learn what’s new about Advantest test equipment, handlers and applications. For event updates, follow #VOICE2024 on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Peter Thusbass, Advantest’s director of European field support, noted, “Over the past 5 years, 4JM Solutions has proven a reliable and valued partner in serving our Southern European customers. Expanding our relationship to include North Africa is vital to ensuring customers’ access to 4JM’s high-quality service and support offerings – particularly in light of escalating demand for our EXA Scale and CREA testers in these regions.” 

Advantest’s V93000 EXA Scale SoC tester addresses the test demands of advanced digital ICs up to the exascale performance class, such as mobile processors, high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI) devices. The CREA family of testers, acquired by Advantest in 2022, perform DC/AC parametric testing on a range of high-power semiconductors vital to the automotive market, particularly electric vehicles.

“We are pleased to extend our longstanding relationship with a world-leading equipment maker like Advantest,” said Joseph Muscat, executive managing director, 4JMSolutions. “We have proven our ability to leverage our specialized knowledge in supporting their complex tools, such as the M4841 SoC handlers and massively parallel ATS products. Supporting these newest high-end testers in both Malta and Morocco will be a boon for 4JM’s business and for our partnership.”

About 4JMSolutions

4JMSolutions (Malta) Ltd. was founded in 2008 on a solid base of international servicing and more than 25 years of high-end industrial experience. The company prides itself on delivering excellent service and support, offering clients a holistic approach to all their needs. 4JMSolutions seeks to provide comprehensive professional service, mainly in the semiconductor and related industries including both front-end and back-end equipment. In addition to its Malta headquarters, the company’s maintains offices in Morocco, Hungary and Germany, delivering service and support to customers throughout Europe and North Africa. www.4jmsolutions.com

ASE Holdings cited the V93000 and T2000 SoC test systems in naming Advantest as Best Testing Equipment Supplier for 2022 – an award Advantest has received multiple times over the past decade. ASE Holdings chooses the honorees from a group of companies that have played a critical role over the prior year in providing equipment, technology, raw materials, and various other essential goods and services to support the company’s ongoing growth and success.

Suppliers are evaluated on four key criteria: cost, delivery, quality and engineering service. Over the last year, Advantest met ASE Holdings’ urgent demand with dedicated customer support; delivered unique, tailor-made solutions for key projects; and provided its industry-leading test know-how and technology to help ASE Holdings optimize efficiencies and keep costs in check.

“We feel privileged to receive such high recognition from this important global partner and remain committed to building long-term, trusting relationships across the supply chain,” said Wankun Wu, President and CEO of Advantest Taiwan. “This award from ASE Holdings signifies our unwavering dedication to our industry partners as we continue to develop and deliver cutting-edge testing technology that facilitates innovation and propels the industry forward.”

Advantest offers a comprehensive portfolio of leading test solutions for SoC and memory semiconductors together with complementary products and services such as handlers, device interfaces and software – as well as industry-leading service and support – to deliver a full range of capabilities across the entire semiconductor value chain. This broad product portfolio provides customers like ASE Holdings with tailored solutions to accommodate their diverse needs.