Aehr Receives Follow-on Production Order for FOX-XP Multi-Wafer Test and Burn-in System with Integrated Automated WaferPak Aligner from Major Silicon Carbide Semiconductor Customer

Rhea-AI Summary

Aehr Test Systems has announced a follow-on production order from a major silicon carbide semiconductor customer for an additional FOX-XP multi-wafer test and burn-in system, which includes the integrated WaferPak Aligner. This advanced system will enhance testing capabilities for silicon carbide power semiconductors, particularly in the electric vehicle market. Expected to ship in Aehr's fiscal fourth quarter starting March 1, 2023, this order indicates strong market demand, with forecasts predicting a significant increase in silicon carbide wafer production in the coming years.

Positive

• Secured follow-on production order from a major silicon carbide customer.
• Enhanced testing capabilities with FOX-XP system configured for high volume production.
• Significant market growth predicted for silicon carbide devices, especially in electric vehicles.

Negative

• None.

FREMONT, CA / ACCESSWIRE / January 5, 2023 / Aehr Test Systems (NASDAQ:AEHR), a worldwide supplier of semiconductor production test and reliability qualification equipment, today announced it has received a follow-on production order from its second major silicon carbide semiconductor customer for an additional production FOX-XP^TM multi-wafer test and burn-in system configured with Aehr's fully integrated and automated WaferPak^TM Aligner.

The FOX-XP system is configured with Bipolar Voltage Channel Module (BVCM) and Very High Voltage Channel Module (VHVCM) options that enable new advanced test and burn-in capabilities for silicon carbide power semiconductors using Aehr's proprietary WaferPak full wafer Contactors. This customer serves several significant markets including the electric vehicle industry as well as other industrial applications. The FOX-XP system with integrated WaferPak Aligner is expected to ship in Aehr's fiscal fourth quarter that begins March 1, 2023.

Gayn Erickson, President and CEO of Aehr Test Systems, commented, "We are very excited to receive this follow-on production order from our new major silicon carbide semiconductor customer for another FOX-XP multi-wafer test and burn-in system configured with our new fully automated and integrated WaferPak alignment and material handling system. They have told us, and we believe they will order, a significant number of FOX-XP systems for volume production of their silicon carbide devices at facilities around the world to meet the exploding forecasted market demand for silicon carbide devices for electric vehicles and other industrial markets.

"In addition to the cost-effectiveness and scalability of our system, this customer has told us how important automation is to them across their wafer fabrication and assembly and test, and that our fully integrated FOX-XP with automated WaferPak alignment and handling is key to meeting their high volume production needs that are critical to their scalability, as well as the quality and reliability goals of the customers and markets they serve. We are very excited and delighted that this customer will be our lead customer for high volume using our new fully automated WaferPak Aligner integrated with the new FOX-XP wafer level test and burn-in system.

"The FOX-XP with integrated WaferPak Aligner uses our proprietary WaferPak full wafer contactors and supports 100mm, 150mm, 200mm, and 300mm wafer sizes using industry standard wafer cassettes and FOUPs (Front Opening Unified Pods). This allows customers to easily support multiple wafer sizes which is critical to the silicon carbide market where a high mix of wafer sizes is expected in high volume production over the next several years. This new configuration allows our customers to move and align the wafers automatically into our proprietary WaferPaks and place the WaferPaks into and out of our multi-wafer FOX-XP systems that test and burn-in up to 18 wafers at a time.

"The FOX-XP configured with the integrated and automated WaferPak Aligner has a number of additional very valuable features for automation of the test floor. These include unattended changeovers from one product to the next, and the ability to run multiple different product type wafers in parallel. In addition, 100% tracking and traceability of wafers and logging individual die test results has become key to companies serving mission critical applications and markets such as the electric vehicle engine inverters and their on-board and off-board chargers that are driving the explosive demand for silicon carbide devices.

"Forecasts from William Blair estimate that the silicon carbide market for devices in electric vehicles alone, such as traction inverters and on-board chargers, is expected to grow from 119,000 6-inch equivalent silicon carbide wafers for electric vehicles in 2021 to more than 4.1 million 6-inch equivalent wafers in 2030, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 48.4%. Total 6-inch equivalent silicon carbide wafers for all current addressable markets are expected to grow to nearly seven million 6-inch equivalent silicon carbide wafers in 2030.

"The FOX family of compatible systems including the FOX-NP and FOX-XP multi-wafer test and burn-in systems and Aehr's proprietary WaferPak full wafer contactors provide a uniquely cost-effective solution for burning in multiple wafers of devices at a single time to remove early life failures of silicon carbide devices, which is critical to meeting the initial quality and long-term reliability the automotive, industrial, and electrification infrastructure industry needs. The FOX-XP system can be configured with up to nine or 18 wafers depending on the customer's specific test requirements and power configuration and is fully compatible with Aehr's FOX-NP system, which is a two-wafer system that is a great fit for new production introduction and qualification."

The FOX-XP and FOX-NP systems, available with multiple WaferPak Contactors (full wafer test) or multiple DiePak^TM Carriers (singulated die/module test) configurations, are capable of functional test and burn-in/cycling of devices such as silicon carbide and gallium nitride power semiconductors, silicon photonics as well as other optical devices, 2D and 3D sensors, flash memories, magnetic sensors, microcontrollers, and other leading-edge ICs in either wafer form factor, before they are assembled into single or multi-die stacked packages, or in singulated die or module form factor.

About Aehr Test Systems

Headquartered in Fremont, California, Aehr Test Systems is a worldwide provider of test systems for burning-in semiconductor devices in wafer level, singulated die, and package part form, and has installed over 2,500 systems 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 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 silicon carbide-based power semiconductors, 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 within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or Aehr's future financial or operating performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "going to," "could," "intends," "target," "projects," "contemplates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential," or "continue," or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions that concern Aehr's expectations, strategy, priorities, plans, or intentions. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, future requirements and orders of Aehr's new and existing customers; bookings forecasted for proprietary WaferPak^TM and DiePak consumables; and expectations related to long-term demand for Aehr's productions and the attractiveness of key markets. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those more fully described in Aehr's recent Form 10-K, 10-Q and other reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. 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 of Sales & 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

SOURCE: Aehr Test Systems

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FAQ

What recent production order did Aehr Test Systems receive?

Aehr Test Systems received a follow-on production order for additional FOX-XP multi-wafer test and burn-in systems.

When will the FOX-XP systems be shipped?

The FOX-XP systems are expected to ship in Aehr's fiscal fourth quarter starting March 1, 2023.

What markets are driving the demand for Aehr's systems?

The demand is primarily driven by the silicon carbide semiconductor market, particularly in electric vehicles.

What is the significance of the FOX-XP system configuration?

It includes the integrated WaferPak Aligner, which improves automation and high volume production capabilities.

What growth is forecasted for the silicon carbide market?

The silicon carbide market for electric vehicles is expected to grow from 119,000 6-inch equivalent wafers in 2021 to over 4.1 million by 2030.