Pintail Technologies Introduces SwifTest-AQ to Meet ``Zero-Defect'' Chip Quality Standards with Real-time Failure Reduction

DALLAS--Oct. 2, 20046, 2004--

Semiconductor Industry's First Solution for Dynamic Parts Average Testing Now Available for Automotive IC Manufacturers

Pintail Technologies, a breakthrough provider in semiconductor test improvement solutions, today announced the release of their SwifTest(R)-AQ software solution for "Active Quality" with dynamic, real-time parts average testing (PAT) capabilities, designed to enable IC manufacturers to meet increasing safety standards and specifications for automotive electronics.

Industry guidelines for semiconductor quality and reliability have been developed by the Automotive Electronics Council (AEC) to meet increasing safety standards for automotive electronic devices that drive the "zero-defect" goal for electronic parts.

Pintail's SwifTest-AQ enables semiconductor manufacturers to meet AEC-Q001 Part Average Testing standards during both wafer probe and final (packaged) test. The AEC guideline presents a statistically-based method called part average testing, or PAT, for removing parts with abnormal characteristics (outliers) -- those parts which historically contribute significantly to quality and reliability problems.

"Suppliers of state-of-the-art electronics for today's automotive market recognize that the reliability of their subsystems is highly influenced by the reliability of the devices from their semiconductor suppliers," stated Taylor Scanlon, president and CEO of Pintail Technologies. "Growing content of electronics in automobiles demands more stringent testing standards for automotive components, and Pintail's SwifTest-AQ is the market's first commercially available solution to offer real-time processing that enables automotive IC manufacturers to thoroughly and proactively satisfy these increasingly stringent test requirements by reducing the rate of failure at both the wafer probe and final test stages."

SwifTest-AQ uniquely performs PAT in real-time by dynamically calculating PAT limits from baseline data and binning out PAT outliers in real time, avoiding post-processing and subsequent delays in wafer processing.

"With this new solution for automotive IC manufacturers, Pintail offers a superior, repeatable process alternative to the limited PAT methodology of statistical post-processing," said Jeff Bibbee, founder and chief technology officer (CTO) of Pintail Technologies. "Instead of post-processing large data files from all testers before calculating the PAT limits from the entire dataset for each test, SwifTest-AQ customers can increase quality dynamically, in real-time, and avoid delays in downstream manufacturing while also optimizing test time and capacity. This real-time statistical processing approach truly represents the next generation in IC quality management at test."

Because of its real-time capabilities, SwifTest-AQ offers a single solution for both probe and package or final test, giving customers a single vendor for deploying a consistent dynamic PAT process.

The SwifTest patented software platform performs real-time monitoring and statistical sampling while running on the user's automated test equipment (ATE) system. Users can achieve the benefits of accelerated test throughput using existing testers, test programs and test procedures. Developed by Pintail in close consultation from leading semiconductor vendors, SwifTest is licensed in three configurations depending on specific needs:

(a) SwifTest-Monitor for real-time monitoring including data capture, alerts and triggers

(b) SwifTest-MX for acceleration of mixed signal testing via statistical sampling

Pintail is showcasing SwifTest-AQ at the International Test Conference, October 26-28 at the Charlotte Convention Center (booth #1325) in Charlotte, N.C.

Detailed information about automotive electronics testing standards is available on the AEC Web site at http://www.aecouncil.com.

About Pintail Technologies

Pintail Technologies is a semiconductor test improvement company that provides breakthrough software to reduce the cost of test and increase production output and quality through existing test equipment and programs. Pintail has created the first test improvement solutions to combine real-time test process control capabilities with innovative analytical programs in an integrated software suite designed for speed and accuracy. In addition, Pintail solutions impact cost and quality of testing through advanced sampling and parts averaging. Fabless and integrated device manufacturers worldwide, in collaboration with leading assembly and test suppliers and ATE vendors, use Pintail tools to increase competitive advantage and hasten customer response. More information on the company and its solutions is available at http://www.pintail.com.