Credence Selected as the ATE Standard for Fabless Semiconductor Association's Test Chip Program; Selection Validates Credence Test Platform Among Foundry Members.

FREMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 24, 1998--Credence Systems Corp. (Nasdaq:CMOS), an international leader in the manufacture of automatic test equipment (ATE) for the semiconductor industry, has been selected by the Fabless Semiconductor Association (FSA) as the ATE provider for the association's Standard Foundry Process Qualification (SFPQ) Test Chip Program.

Credence testers will serve as the benchmark for validating test chips for this program.

The SFPQ Test Chip Program, funded by FSA, was developed to create a standard test chip containing all the necessary process qualification components including both SRAM and logic, qualified library and IP elements, reliability physics tests, process evaluation and SPICE modeling test structure.

In February the FSA announced that Amkor Wafer Fabrication Services, Chartered Semiconductor, Rohm LSI Systems and Worldwide Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (WSMC) would be official participants in its 0.25 micron SFPQ Test Chip Program.

Each foundry agreed to manufacture the FSA's 0.25 micron standard test chip at their manufacturing facility, followed by the testing and reporting of the data to the fabless community. These foundries will be certified by the FSA for having provided customers with sufficient data to qualify their process.

"Inclusion in FSA's Test Chip program is further evidence of Credence's commitment to provide cost-effective test solutions for the rapidly growing fabless market," said Bill Bottoms, Credence's CEO. "Credence was one of the first ATE manufacturers to dedicate resources and forge strategic partnerships to facilitate the success of the fabless semiconductor business model."

Credence has the largest installed base of ATE in the subcontract manufacturing services (SMS) industry. By focusing on the special needs of fabless companies, Credence has become the marketshare leader in supplying test equipment and continues to develop new fabless and SMS-focused applications, support, and services to accelerate time-to-market for its customers.

About FSA

The FSA was formed in July 1994 by industry leaders wishing to achieve a more optimal balance between wafer demand and capacity for fabless companies. The FSA represents a growing industry consisting of over 150 North American fabless companies.

The mission of the FSA is to stimulate technology and foundry capacity by communicating the future needs of the fabless semiconductor segment in terms of quantity and technology; to provide interactive forums for the mutual benefit of all FSA members; and to be a strong, united voice on vital issues affecting the future growth of fabless semiconductor companies. The FSA can be reached on the World Wide Web at http://www.fsa.org

About Credence

Credence Systems Corp. is a leader in the manufacture of automatic test equipment (ATE) for the worldwide semiconductor industry. Credence offers a wide range of products with test capabilities for digital, mixed-signal, and memory semiconductors. Utilizing its patented CMOS technologies, Credence products are designed to meet the strict time-to-market and cost of ownership requirements of its customers.

Headquartered in Fremont, the company maintains advanced production and design facilities in Beaverton, Ore. Credence, an ISO 9001 certified manufacturer, is listed on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol CMOS. More information is available at www.credence.com.

Note to Editors: Credence and Credence Systems are trademarks of Credence Systems Corp. Other trademarks that may be mentioned in this release are the intellectual property of their respective owners.