Credence Systems Debuts Innovative Partitioned Test Solutions for Embedded Memory to Usher in Era of Systems-on-a-Chip.

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 20, 1998--

Revolutionary Built Off-Chip Self Test (BOST) Solution Leverages

Built In Self Test (BIST) Technology and Introduces Partitioning

Methodologies for Embedded Memory Testing That

Substantially Reduce the Cost of Test

Becoming the industry's first automatic test equipment (ATE) manufacturer to incorporate built in self test (BIST) technology into its suite of digital mixed-signal test platforms, Credence Systems Corp. (Nasdaq:CMOS), announced the debut of an innovative methodology for testing embedded memory: built off-chip self-test, referred to as BOST(TM).

Credence, an ATE leader, will be demonstrating BOST on its Quartet One(TM) test system during the International Test Conference here in Washington, D.C., at booth No. 401.

"We're ushering in a new era of test," said Bill Bottoms, Credence's CEO. "As we enter the deep-submicron world of systems-on-a-chip, the dilemma of the 3rd millennium has arrived: how can we continue to drive down the cost of test when the chip complexities continue to increase? No single approach can resolve the new test paradox. Credence -- with our innovative ATE, workcell architecture, BIST, and now BOST -- is at the forefront of providing test solutions based on a partitioning methodology that dramatically reduces both the cost of test and development cycle times to support the industry's continued growth."

Credence's BOST technology is a key new element in transforming the role of test from an expensive and passive device-validation tool into a series of solutions that can shrink development cycles, reduce costs, meet time-to-market demands and improve die yields. BOST integrates a device-specific BIST engine directly into a custom circuit on the load board. Credence's BOST combines the flexibility and performance of an ATE solution with a new partitioning approach to testing advanced embedded devices.

Using an ATI high-speed 3D graphics controller with a 32Mb integrated DRAM as the target device, Credence's ITC demonstration will feature the recently introduced Quartet One, in conjunction with BOST, performing a complete test of the DRAM memory core, at 143 MHz. Credence's BOST offers customers all the advantages of BIST for testing memory without the two major disadvantages: the silicon area required for BIST or the lack of reprogrammability of the test once fabricated on the device. By employing the intellectual property of BIST circuitry, BOST ensures the tests developed for its environment are easily migrated to BIST solutions, providing additional cost and time savings through test reuse.

Jerry Hutcheson, chief executive officer of VLSI Research, commented, "Credence continues to find innovative approaches that enable existing equipment to perform new applications. By combining BOST with embedded testers, they have taken the ATE leadership in finding low-cost, at-speed, testing solutions for embedded memory in systems-on-a-chip. With reusable solutions, such as BOST, Credence's customers can optimize the use of their equipment without compromising performance."

With its partitioning approach to test, Credence's BOST technology will be critical in helping the industry develop production-worthy process technologies, enabling the cost-effective integration of analog, digital, memory and RF functions on a single chip. Able to test at-speed, BOST also offers chipmakers the advantage of virtually eliminating the time consuming tasks of developing the huge volumes of test patterns necessary with conventional test approaches.

Availability and Pricing

Consulting services for BOST memory testing are available today, pricing is dependant on configuration.

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, Calif., 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, Credence Systems, BOST and Quartet One are trademarks of Credence Systems Corp. Other trademarks that may be mentioned in this release are the intellectual property of their respective owners.