FREMONT, Calif., June 03, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aehr Test Systems (NASDAQ: AEHR), a worldwide supplier of semiconductor test and burn-in equipment, today announced that it began shipments of its recently introduced FOX-CP and FOX-NP test and burn-in systems in its fourth quarter of fiscal 2019, which closed on May 31, 2019. These shipments, which included multiple FOX-NP systems, were for orders previously announced earlier this year. The new FOX-CP and FOX-NP systems, which were introduced in the last few months, are the newest additions to Aehr’s FOX-P^TM family of semiconductor wafer level and singulated die test and burn in systems.

Commenting on these shipments, Gayn Erickson, President and CEO of Aehr, stated, “We are pleased to have shipped this initial FOX-CP test and burn-in system to a major new customer. This system will be used for 100% test and burn-in of devices in a very high-volume application for the enterprise and data center market, with a build out of this production ramp over the next several years. This customer forecasts additional FOX-CP systems to be delivered to multiple locations worldwide, where we will support the turnkey solution directly with Aehr Test personnel.

“We see the data storage market, as well as multiple devices related to the worldwide 5G build-out, as critical new opportunities for our systems, where these end markets and customers require devices to have extremely high levels of quality and long-term reliability. IDC, a global provider of market intelligence for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets, recently released a report forecasting that the collective sum of the world’s data will grow from 33 zettabytes in 2018 to 175 zettabytes by 2025, for a compounded annual growth rate of 61 percent. A zettabyte equals one trillion gigabytes.”

The FOX-CP is a new low-cost single-wafer compact test and reliability verification solution for logic, memory and photonic devices. The FOX-CP reduces test cost by functionally testing wafers during reliability screening to identify failing logic/memory/photonic die before the die are integrated into their final package, and is optimal for test times ranging from minutes to a few hours or where multiple touchdowns are required to test the entire wafer. It complements the capabilities of the FOX-XP^TM and FOX-NP systems, which are optimal when the test time is measured in hours or days and the full wafer can be tested in a single touchdown.

Mr. Erickson continued, “We are also pleased to have shipped several FOX-NP test and burn-in systems to two different customers in our fiscal fourth quarter. One of these is a new customer who will utilize the FOX-NP for initial product development, qualification and production, and then plans to transition to high volume production test and burn-in of 100% of their silicon photonics chips using our FOX-XP multi-wafer and singulated die/module test solution. The other is a leading semiconductor manufacturer who will utilize the FOX-NP to compliment their existing fleet of FOX-XP test and burn-in systems and provide additional test and qualification capacity as a result of increasing variety of silicon photonics devices.

“We are very optimistic about the silicon photonics and photonics sensors markets and believe they will be significant growth drivers for Aehr. Market research company Yole Développement predicts silicon photonics technology will grow from being used in a few percent of the total optical transceiver market in 2016 to 35% of the market in 2025, with a market value for transceivers of almost $4 billion in 2025. The rapid growth of integrated optical devices in high-performance servers and data centers, mobile devices, automotive applications, and now wearable biosensors is driving substantially higher requirements for initial quality and long-term reliability, and the requirements are increasing with every new product generation. We believe these new applications are driving an entirely new level of quality and reliability expectation for these systems and pose a significant long-term growth opportunity for Aehr.”

For further perspective on the silicon photonics market, the Yole Développement article is available at http://www.yole.fr/SiPhotonics_MarketStatus.aspx.

The FOX-NP is a low cost entry-level system to provide a configuration and price point for companies to do initial production qualification and new product introduction, enabling an easier transition to the FOX-XP system for high volume production test. The FOX-NP system is 100% compatible with the FOX-XP system and is configurable with up to two blades per system compared to up to 18 blades in the FOX-XP system.

Aehr’s FOX-P Platform is the company’s next-generation multi-wafer and singulated die/module test solution that is capable of functional test and burn-in/cycling of photonics devices, flash memories, microcontrollers, sensors, and other leading-edge ICs before they are assembled into single or multi-die stacked packages. The FOX wafer-level systems utilize Aehr’s FOX WaferPak^TM contactors, which provide cost effective solutions for making electrical contact with a full wafer or substrate in a multi-wafer environment. The configuration with the DiePak^® Carriers enables burn-in of singulated die and multi-die modules to screen for defects in both the die and the module assembly process. The resulting known-good die, single-die or stacked-die packaged parts can then be used for high reliability and quality applications such as enterprise solid state drives, automotive devices, highly valuable mobile applications, and mission critical integrated circuits and sensors.

The key features of the FOX-P Platform that contribute to the cost-effectiveness of the solution include the ability to provide up to 2,048 “Universal Channels” per wafer or DiePak carrier, which allows the system to test all the devices on the wafer or DiePak carrier in parallel. The innovative “Universal Channel” architecture allows any channel to be any function (I/O, Device Power Supply (DPS) or Per-pin Precision Measurement Unit (PPMU)). This enhanced architecture now allows customers to perform per pin parametric testing, more extensive digital pattern test with deeper data stimulus / capture memory (32M per pin), and deeper scan (768M) optimized for BIST/DFT testing. A single FOX-XP test system may be configured with up to 18 blades of wafer test resources, enabling up to 18 wafers to be tested simultaneously. The footprint of the 18-wafer test system is similar to the footprint of typical semiconductor Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) that can only test one wafer at a time. The highly integrated 2-blade FOX-NP system has a very small footprint and is designed to be easily integrated into product design, reliability and test lab applications.

About Aehr Test Systems
Headquartered in Fremont, California, Aehr Test Systems is a worldwide provider of test systems for burning-in and testing logic, optical and memory integrated circuits and has over 2,500 systems installed worldwide. Increased quality and reliability needs of the Automotive and Mobility integrated circuit markets are driving additional test requirements, incremental capacity needs, and new opportunities for Aehr Test products in package, wafer level, and singulated die/module level test. Aehr Test has developed and introduced several innovative products, including the ABTS^TM and FOX-P^TM families of test and burn-in systems and FOX WaferPak^TM Aligner, FOX-XP WaferPak Contactor, FOX DiePak^® Carrier and FOX DiePak Loader. The ABTS system is used in production and qualification testing of packaged parts for both lower power and higher power logic devices as well as all common types of memory devices. The FOX-XP and FOX-NP systems are full wafer contact and singulated die/module test and burn-in systems used for burn-in and functional test of complex devices, such as leading-edge memories, digital signal processors, microprocessors, microcontrollers, systems-on-a-chip, and integrated optical devices. The FOX-CP system is a new low-cost single-wafer compact test and reliability verification solution for logic, memory and photonic devices and the newest addition to the FOX-P product family. The WaferPak contactor contains a unique full wafer probe card capable of testing wafers up to 300mm that enables IC manufacturers to perform test and burn-in of full wafers on Aehr Test FOX systems. The DiePak Carrier is a reusable, temporary package that enables IC manufacturers to perform cost-effective final test and burn-in of both bare die and modules. For more information, please visit Aehr Test Systems’ 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 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’s expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding its 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, customer demand and acceptance of Aehr’s products, the ability of new products to meet customer needs or perform as described, as well as general market conditions and Aehr’s ability to execute on its business strategy. See Aehr’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’s business. Aehr 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.

Contacts:
Aehr Test Systems Vernon Rogers EVP Sales and Marketing (510) 623-9400 x215 vrogers@aehr.com	MKR Investor Relations Inc. Todd Kehrli or Jim Byers Analyst/Investor Contact (213) 277-5550 aehr@mkr-group.com