BEAVERTON, Ore., Apr 15, 2002 -- Integrated Measurement Systems, Inc. (IMS), A Credence Company (Nasdaq: CMOS), today introduced the Gemini MS(TM), its next-generation engineering validation test system for mixed-signal and system-on-chip (SoC) devices. Targeted at reducing turnaround time from first silicon to production release, Gemini MS provides designers with an engineer-friendly interactive tool for rapid device debug, characterization and failure analysis of complex SoC designs. Gemini MS combines the advanced digital features of IMS' flagship Vanguard(TM) system with a comprehensive mixed-signal software test development environment called IMS-VIEW and a variety of analog instrument options that cover a full range of resolution and sampling frequencies from direct current (DC) to 2.4 GHz.
"SoC designs are commonly integrating a digital core with multiple analog cells onto a single chip," said Jack Frost, general manager of IMS' SoC Business Unit. "The debug and validation step is becoming the major bottleneck in getting a new design into production. Using Gemini MS, designers can debug first silicon in their lab using intuitive software tools that are integrated into the EDA flow and are designed for interactive debug, thereby speeding the overall design-to-production process. The system continues our commitment to providing high-speed engineering validation testers specifically optimized for the engineering environment, while expanding Credence's leading portfolio of design-to-production test solutions for semiconductor manufacturers."
Gemini MS features 336 I/O digital pins at data rates to 330 MB/s plus 96 pins of analog I/O and 16 independent device power supplies. Fast clock channels can be added to provide 8 clocks at up to 330 Mhz. Standard with Gemini is the integrated Gemini Sync Module (GSM) that provides 16 channels of instrument clocks and triggers fully integrated into the base system software. The GSM module ensures low jitter instrument clocking that is fully synchronized to the digital pattern, enabling fully coherent analog test techniques to be used that are faster and more accurate than conventional non-coherent testing.
IMS-VIEW is an icon-based test development environment that contains over 250 standard test functions for digital and analog instrument control, a mixed-signal DSP library, and interactive instrument drivers for each analog instrument option available. Using IMS-VIEW's interactive debug environment and comprehensive icon-based library, designers can construct their tests using built-in high level digital and analog test icons to reduce SoC debug and validation time by as much as 80 percent over conventional programming methods.
Gemini MS is currently shipping to select customers, and volume shipments are set to begin in the third quarter of 2002. The system will be on display at Booth A1.64 at the SEMICON/Europa show, held from April 16 - 18, 2002, at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre in Munich, Germany.
About Integrated Measurement Systems (IMS) -- A Credence Company
IMS designs, manufactures, markets and services a family of versatile, high-performance engineering validation test systems for validation, characterization and yield enhancement of complex memory, logic, and mixed-signal devices. In addition, IMS is the industry's leading provider of design-to-test productivity software, providing an integrated test development environment between electronic design automation (EDA) and automated test equipment (ATE) suppliers. A wholly owned subsidiary of Credence Systems Corporation, IMS is headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, with sales offices throughout the world. In 2001, IMS was ranked number one in pure test for the eighth consecutive year in the VLSI Research Inc. Annual 10 BEST Customer Satisfaction Survey of Test and Material Handling Suppliers. For additional information, please visit www.ims.com.
About Credence
Credence Systems Corporation is changing the future of semiconductor production by integrating test solutions throughout the design, validation and production processes. A leader in the manufacture of automatic test equipment (ATE) for the global semiconductor industry, Credence and its subsidiaries also provide design and engineering validation test solutions that enable faster time-to-market with lower total cost-of-test. Headquartered in Fremont, California, the Company is an ISO 9001 certified manufacturer and maintains advanced production and design facilities in Hillsboro, Oregon. More information is available at http://www.credence.com .
Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain statements that are forward-looking and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause the Company's actual results in future periods to be materially different from the future performance suggested in this release. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to successfully integrate acquisitions, economic and currency instability in the Asia Pacific region, fluctuation in customer demand, timing and volume of orders and shipments, competition and pricing pressures, reliability and quality issues, the Company's ability to complete the development of its new products, product mix, overhead absorption, cyclicality and downturns in the semiconductor industry, continued dependence on "turns" orders to achieve revenue objectives, the timing of new technology, product introductions, the risk of early obsolescence and the Company's ability to control expenses (including the ability to identify and successfully institute additional cost-saving measures). Further, the Company operates in an industry sector where securities values are highly volatile and may be influenced by economic and other factors beyond the Company's control. Reference is made to the discussion of risk factors detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its reports on Form 10-K and 10-Q. Any projections in this release are based on limited information currently available to the Company, which is subject to change. Although any such projections and the factors influencing them will likely change, the Company will not necessarily update the information, since the Company is only to provide guidance at certain points during the year. Actual events or results could differ materially and no reader of this release should assume later in the quarter that the information provided today is still valid. Such information speaks only as of the date of this release.
NOTE: Credence is a registered trademark, and Credence Systems, Integrated Measurement Systems, IMS, Gemini MS, Electra, Vanguard, and IMS-VIEW are trademarks of Credence Systems Corporation and its subsidiaries. Other trademarks that may be mentioned in this release are the intellectual property of their respective owners.
CONTACT: Judy Dale, Director, Marketing Communications of Credence Systems Corporation, +1-510-492-3118, or +1-510-623-2524, or judy_dale@credence.com; or Patricia MacLeod, Sr. Account Executive, Public Relations of e21 Corp, +1-510-226-6780, ext. 205, or fax, +1-510-226-9902, or patricia_macleod@e21corp.com, for Credence Systems Corporation.
SOURCE Credence Systems Corporation
CONTACT: Judy Dale, Director, Marketing Communications of Credence Systems Corporation, +1-510-492-3118, or +1-510-623-2524, or judy_dale@credence.com; or Patricia MacLeod, Sr. Account Executive, Public Relations of e21 Corp, +1-510-226-6780, ext. 205, or fax, +1-510-226-9902, or patricia_macleod@e21corp.com, for Credence Systems Corporation
