LIVERMORE, CA -- 12/02/08 --
FormFactor, Inc. (NASDAQ: FORM) today
introduced Harmony(TM) eXP, the latest evolution in its suite of advanced
full-wafer-contact probe cards for DRAM testing. Harmony eXP enables
customers to lower their test costs and improve their test yields on
leading-edge DRAM devices through enhancements that offer both productivity
and capability improvements. These features enable the Harmony eXP probe
card to support chipmakers' cost and test technology roadmaps as they
transition to smaller device geometries.
The Harmony eXP platform has been qualified and adopted at several major
memory manufacturers to test 60-nm DDR2 devices. The platform is designed
to accommodate the testing of 1 GB and 2 GB DDR 2 and DDR 3 devices at
design rules ranging to 55 nm and beyond.
"Now more than ever, DRAM manufacturers are under tremendous pressure to
reduce their production costs in order to improve their bottom line,"
stated Stefan Zschiegner, senior vice president of FormFactor's DRAM
product business unit. "As an advanced probe card supplier, FormFactor is
investing in innovation to help our customers reduce their test costs. This
investment enables us to bring out new technologies and products like our
Harmony eXP solution that improve our customers' test efficiency and
provide more test capabilities."
For higher productivity, mechanical enhancements in the Harmony eXP
platform improve planarity by more than 25 percent, and enhance X/Y
alignment precision compared to previous generation capabilities. This
precision increases customers' available operating margins within the
demanding contact alignment requirements of shrinking device geometries.
Harmony eXP also offers dual-temperature test capability in a single probe
card, which allows customers to reduce their test costs while performing
more comprehensive stress testing.
The Harmony eXP platform supports FormFactor's recently introduced
RapidSoak(TM) technology, which maintains thermal stability and improves
scrub consistency independent of wafer chuck movements. RapidSoak
technology not only helps ensure precise and consistent contact between the
contactor on the probe card and the test pad on the wafer to maximize test
yields, but also reduces the time required for the probe card to achieve
thermal equilibrium by as much as 50% -- increasing test cell productivity
and uptime.
Continuing FormFactor's technology innovation, the Harmony eXP also
includes a new MicroSpring® contactor design that supports pad pitches as
small as 60 microns and allows a 20 percent reduction in pad size over the
previous-generation Harmony XP platform -- to accommodate more devices per
wafer. The new spring enables the Harmony eXP probe card to achieve pin
counts of 60,000 probes and higher. Combining these advanced capabilities,
the Harmony eXP platform can test more than 1,000 DRAM devices per
touchdown and is capable (for some device designs) of supporting one
touchdown testing of a full 300-mm DRAM wafer.
Harmony eXP probe cards are now available for ordering and shipping.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical in nature
are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities
laws, including results the company's customers' might realize when using
the company's products, demand for the company's products and future
growth. These forward-looking statements are based on current information
and expectations that are inherently subject to change and involve a number
of risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results might differ
materially from those in any forward-looking statement due to various
factors, including, but not limited to: the company's ability to lower
customers' test costs and improve their test yields on leading-edge DRAM
devices, to support chipmakers' cost and test technology roadmaps as they
transition to smaller device geometries; to improve customers' test
efficiency and provide them with more test capabilities, to increase
customers' available operating margins within the contact alignment
requirements of shrinking device geometries, to enable more comprehensive
stress testing, and the company's ability to support its RapidSoak
technology within the Harmony eXP platform and maintain thermal stability
and improve scrub consistency independent of wafer chuck movements, and
reduce the time required for the probe card to achieve thermal equilibrium.
Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual events or
results to differ materially from those in any forward-looking statement is
contained in the company's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 29,
2007 and the company's Form 10-Q reports for its fiscal quarters within
2008, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), and
subsequent SEC filings. Copies of the company's SEC filings are available
at http://investors.formfactor.com/edgar.cfm. The company assumes no
obligation to update the information in this press release, to revise any
forward-looking statements or to update the reasons actual results could
differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements.
About FormFactor
Founded in 1993, FormFactor, Inc. (NASDAQ: FORM) is the leader in advanced
wafer probe cards, which are used by semiconductor manufacturers to
electrically test ICs. The company's wafer sort, burn-in and device
performance testing products move IC testing upstream from post-packaging
to the wafer level, enabling semiconductor manufacturers to lower their
overall production costs, improve yields, and bring next-generation devices
to market. FormFactor is headquartered in Livermore, California with
operations in Europe, Asia and North America. For more information, visit
the company's web site at www.formfactor.com.
FormFactor, Harmony, Harmony eXP, MicroSpring and RapidSoak are trademarks
or registered trademarks of FormFactor, Inc.
Investor Contact:
Michael Magaro
Investor Relations
(925) 290-4949
Email Contact
Trade Press Contact:
David Viera
Director of Corporate Communications
(925) 290-4681
Email Contact
