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SkyWater Establishes Cryogenic Lab, Utilizes FormFactor’s Leading Tool for RTS Noise Detection in Read-Out Integrated Circuit Applications

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SkyWater Technology (NASDAQ: SKYT) has launched a new cryogenic lab in Bloomington, Minnesota, aimed at characterizing random telegraph signal (RTS) noise for read-out integrated circuits (ROICs). This development is essential for enhancing image quality in applications like night vision and military surveillance. Collaborating with the University of Tennessee and Arizona State University, SkyWater uses FormFactor's advanced cryogenic probe system to perform precise measurements. The ROIC market is projected to grow due to increased demand for infrared imaging systems across various industries.

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  • Launch of a new cryogenic lab to enhance ROIC technology.
  • Partnership with academic institutions for research and development.
  • Increased capabilities for mitigating RTS noise, improving image quality.
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Public-private partnerships support SkyWater’s leading-edge domestic capabilities and advancement of ROIC technology

BLOOMINGTON, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- SkyWater Technology (NASDAQ: SKYT), the trusted technology realization partner, today announced it has established a new cryogenic lab to characterize random telegraph signal (RTS) noise for read-out integrated circuits (ROICs). Mitigating RTS noise is crucial to improving the image quality and performance for ROIC customers in various applications such as night vision, military surveillance, and industrial and automotive thermal imaging.

SkyWater’s cryo lab utilizes FormFactor’s leading cryogenic probe system that enables precise on-wafer measurements in extreme environments. SkyWater partnered with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Arizona State University’s electrical engineering teams to develop test chips which are used to determine how much RTS noise exists for various transistor types and temperatures. From these measurements, enhancements are made for improved imaging.

For ROIC customers, it is crucial to minimize RTS noise as it becomes a limiting factor to image sensor performance. SkyWater’s cryo lab detects and measures noise which enables mitigation efforts for RTS effects. The new cryogenic noise characterization capabilities at SkyWater further enhance the company’s ability to streamline process and product development for advanced imaging systems in both defense and specialty industrial applications.

FormFactor’s high-performance probes are optimized for testing of cooled infrared sensors and cutting-edge technologies that operate at cryogenic temperatures, making it possible to collect accurate data across a comprehensive range of application environments. FormFactor’s cryogenic probe system acts as a freezer, bringing down the sample environment to extremely cold temperatures and utilizes a state of the art E4727B Advanced Low-Frequency Noise Analyzer (A-LFNA) system from Keysight Technologies to measure the noise. Furthermore, FormFactor’s Advanced Cryogenic Lab, which launched in 2022, played a crucial role in test development by providing early access to a cryogenic wafer prober while SkyWater’s cryo lab was being prepared.

“The FormFactor cryogenic probe system, with the ability to measure at the wafer level down to seven Kelvin, positions SkyWater to advance ROIC technology to its customers,” said Dr. Mike Slessor, CEO of FormFactor. “Our cryogenic test and measurement product portfolio, expanding from 10 millikelvin to 77 Kelvin, enables demanding applications such as ROICs and quantum computing to customers worldwide. We are thrilled with this SkyWater and Keysight collaboration.”

“Facilitating our cryo lab was a successful collaboration among many partners, both public and private,” said SkyWater Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Steven Kosier. “With an aim to advance ROIC technology and enhance domestic capabilities for our customers, we invested in FormFactor’s state of the art cryogenic probe system. By partnering with ASU and UTC, we were able to quickly develop the test chips to measure and characterize RTS noise which speeds up the development process.”

According to a 2022 Transparency Market Research report, the ROIC market is expected to witness sustainable growth with North America projected to dominate the global market. The projected growth is due to an increase in usage of infrared (IR) imaging systems as they become important in healthcare, aerospace and defense, industrial, and automotive applications. Advancement in IR imaging systems can help in several applications such as night vision, disaster rescue, homing and tracking, ecology and weather forecasting, surveillance, predictive inspection and maintenance, remote temperature sensing, short range communication, spectroscopy, and medical diagnostic and treatment.

About SkyWater Technology

SkyWater (NASDAQ: SKYT) is a U.S.-based, U.S. investor-owned semiconductor manufacturer and a DMEA-accredited Category 1A Trusted Foundry. SkyWater’s Technology as a Service model streamlines the path to production for customers with development services, volume production and heterogeneous integration solutions in its world-class U.S. facilities. This pioneering model enables innovators to co-create the next wave of technology with diverse categories including mixed-signal CMOS, ROICs, rad-hard ICs, power management, MEMS, superconducting ICs, photonics, carbon nanotubes and interposers. SkyWater serves growing markets including aerospace & defense, automotive, biomedical, cloud & computing, consumer, industrial and IoT. For more information, visit: www.skywatertechnology.com.

SkyWater Technology Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements that are based on the Company’s current expectations or forecasts of future events, rather than past events and outcomes, and such statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, which may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Key factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to be different than expected or anticipated include, but are not limited to, factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of its annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and in other documents that the Company files with the SEC, which are available at http://www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

SKYT-CORP

SkyWater Company Contact: Tara Luther | +1 952-851-5023 | tara.luther@skywatertechnology.com

SkyWater Media Contact: Lauri Julian | +1 949-280-5602 | lauri.julian@skywatertechnology.com

Source: SkyWater Technology

FAQ

What recent development has SkyWater Technology announced regarding ROIC technology?

SkyWater Technology announced the establishment of a new cryogenic lab to characterize RTS noise for ROICs, enhancing image quality in various applications.

How does the new cryogenic lab benefit ROIC customers?

The cryogenic lab helps minimize RTS noise, which is crucial for improving the performance of image sensors used in applications like military surveillance and night vision.

What collaborations has SkyWater Technology engaged in for its new cryogenic lab?

SkyWater has partnered with the University of Tennessee and Arizona State University to develop test chips for measuring RTS noise.

What is the market outlook for ROIC technology according to SkyWater's press release?

The ROIC market is expected to grow significantly, particularly in North America, driven by increasing usage of infrared imaging systems in various sectors.

SkyWater Technology, Inc.

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