Knights Technology Receives Major Volume Purchase Agreement From ST Microelectronics
Knights Technology (Sunnyvale, CA), a division of Electroglas Inc., a supplier of process management tools for the semiconductor industry, announced that it has signed a major volume purchase agreement (VPA) with integrated circuit manufacturer, ST Microelectronics. According to the terms of the VPA, Knights Technology will provide YieldManager systems with the database conversion software module, Data Explorer, to ST Microelectronics' fabs in Europe, Asia, and the United States. Systems have been installed in Agrate, Italy; Crolles, France; Rousset, France; Phoenix; and Carrollton, Texas, with follow-on orders expected through the end of 1999. The YieldManager system will replace ST's existing yield management software at all of its sub-micron facilities worldwide.
ST Microelectronics will use the YieldManager system in the evaluation of all sub-micron integrated circuit products including SMART cards, microprocessors, and EEPROMs. The company's leading-edge ICs are used in a variety of microelectronic applications, including telecommunications systems, computer systems, consumer products, automotive products, and industrial automation and control systems.
YieldManager is a customized, instrument-independent software solution that enables fab engineers to collect, analyze and graphically display essential process, inspection, and test data to help identify the sources of semiconductor yield loss. The YieldManager system is the only independent software tool designed to interface with equipment from multiple suppliers to collect data from the entire process flow-design, wafer process, inspection, metrology, parametric, and electrical test.
Data Explorer is an optional YieldManager module designed to provide expanded analysis of yield data. Data Explorer is a database conversion software module used to extract data from YieldManager's relational database and convert it into a spreadsheet format for custom statistical analyses. The Data Explorer feature gives engineers the critical capability of analyzing defect trends and performing other advanced statistical analyses of defect data. Data explorer adds to the rapid identification of key process variables and the accelerated problem solving that increases yield and profit.
STMicroelectronics is a global independent semiconductor company. It designs, develops, manufactures, and markets a broad range of semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) and discrete devices used in a wide variety of microelectronic applications, including telecommunications systems, computer systems, consumer products, automotive products and industrial automation and control systems.
Electroglas delivers essential tools for process management designed to enhance semiconductor companies' profitability. The company's wafer probers, inspection systems and software solutions serve as data collection, management, and analysis tools that semiconductor manufacturers depend on to improve their productivity and process control by optimizing sort-floor efficiency.
Electroglas' 1997 acquisition of Knights, an industry leader in yield enhancement software for integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing, adds critical, synergistic yield management capabilities to the Electroglas suite of data collection and management solutions. Knights products include Merlin's Framework, the recognized industry standard in CAD navigation software for IC design, failure analysis, defect review, and debugging; and the YieldManager system, which integrates data from process, inspection, test and metrology equipment to help determine which process zones or tools contribute to yield loss.
Electroglas, Inc. Phone 408-727-6500.