This excerpt taken from the VRGY 10-K filed Dec 22, 2006. Production
Prototype. Once an initial design of a
semiconductor has been created, the first stage in bringing an actual IC to
market is to produce a small quantity of prototype ICs to validate the design
and ensure that it performs according to its specifications. What the
semiconductor designer needs most from the test equipment and services provider
at this stage is advanced test equipment and test strategy expertise. The
engineering validation and device characterization that occurs at this stage
requires high precision test equipment to ensure accuracy and high flexibility
to modify test procedures and parameters, because the IC design may iterate
multiple times. Test strategies and methodologies are developed early to ensure
that the test solution implemented is capable of testing the ICs across the
entire manufacturing process. Of all the stages of bringing a new semiconductor
to market, it is at this stage that the most advanced test equipment is
required.
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