MILPITAS, Calif., Aug. 17 - Credence Systems Corporation (Nasdaq: CMOS), a leading provider of design to production test solutions for the worldwide semiconductor industry, today announced the quad broadband integrated transceiver (QBIX) instrument for its Sapphire(TM) SoC test platform. With more than fifty QBIX instruments shipped for use in IC characterization and production, QBIX addresses a wide range of device test applications, including DTV, audio/video DAC/ADCs, xDSL, IF, cellular baseband, set-top boxes and DVDs. QBIX, the ATE industry's first bidirectional multi-channel instrument, optimizes test performance on a variety of complex SoC devices with single-ended and differential I/O paths, increasing yield and lowering cost-of-test.
"Today's complex SoC devices are comprised of more mixed-signal content than ever before," said Dave Ranhoff, president and chief executive officer of Credence Systems Corporation. "Driven by integration of all media standards, these SoC devices contain multiple channels with varying bandwidth and resolution requirements. Unique to the industry, our QBIX instrument features eight digitizers and eight AWGs per instrument, offering our customers highly parallel operation with maximum flexibility."
Each QBIX channel is capable of "on-the-fly" switching between source and measure, and between high frequency and high resolution. One QBIX instrument has the flexibility to replace up to sixteen separate analog instruments commonly found on traditional ATE systems. Additionally, QBIX provides several additional features to further augment cost-of-test performance. A high-throughput DSP architecture is matched by a powerful, optimized DSP library with over 200 functions. Intuitive graphical software tools enable rapid development and debug of mixed-signal test programs and its per pin PMUs (parametric measurement units) on each I/O pin support rapid continuity measurements. These essential features make Sapphire with QBIX one of the highest-yielding, lowest cost-of-test solutions for complex SoC testing.
About Sapphire
In a radical departure from traditional "big iron" testers, Sapphire offers supreme configuration flexibility with test capabilities optimized from DC to multi-gigahertz -- digital and analog, structural and functional -- with fully encapsulated instruments that can be inserted into any slot in the test head. Engineered with simplicity and cost efficiency in mind, Sapphire provides a highly integrated, small footprint system with reduced power requirements. Its high-bandwidth bus provides advanced communications and precise synchronization between instruments, enhancing performance in any configuration. Sapphire is readily adaptable to a wide range of performance requirements from the characterization of high-performance devices to low-cost requirements for production -- for IDMs, fabless companies, and subcontractors.
About Credence
Credence Systems Corporation is the industry's leading provider of design-to-test solutions for the global semiconductor industry. With a commitment to applying innovative technology to lower the cost-of-test, Credence delivers competitive cost and performance advantages to integrated device manufacturers (IDMs), wafer foundries, outsource assembly and test (OSAT) suppliers and fabless chip companies worldwide. A global, ISO 9001-certified company with a presence in 20 countries, Credence is headquartered in Milpitas, California. More information is available at http://www.credence.com .
NOTE: Credence is a registered trademark, and Credence Systems, Sapphire, and XTOS are trademarks of Credence Systems Corporation. Other trademarks that may be mentioned in this release are the intellectual property of their respective owners.
CONTACT: Judy A.E. Dale, Vice President, Marketing Communications and Investor Relations of Credence Systems Corporation, +1-408-635-4309, or fax, +1-408-635-4986, or judy_dale@credence.com.
