Advantest Announces New ACS University Program Allowing University Partners to Participate in the ACS Open Solution Ecosystem

TOKYO, Japan – May 17, 2022 – Leading semiconductor test equipment supplier Advantest Corporation (TSE: 6857) today announced it has launched the ACS University Program to allow its research partners to participate in the growing ACS ecosystem. Created to help customers achieve intelligent, data-driven workflows, the ACS ecosystem is a family of products and technologies based on a unified data platform that enables customers to develop their own compatible solutions, or to procure market-leading solutions from Advantest and its partners.

ACS University Program partners may conduct research using real industry data from Advantest’s in-house-developed ASIC devices, including several lots with full die-level traceability, to evaluate their research results in actual, industry-relevant environments. University partners are also given the opportunity to publish their results to support global research advancements.

Given the ongoing challenges within the semiconductor value chain, obtaining real-world data is even more vital for research efforts seeking to embed process variations and other physical process characteristics into their developed methodologies. In particular, modern machine learning-based techniques require large volumes of high-quality data from multiple correlated lots and manufacturing steps.

"The ACS University Program is a prime opportunity for our network research partners to contribute to the success of the ACS open solution ecosystem," said Michael Chang, vice president, ACS, of Advantest. "Supporting the research community by giving them access to real data and use cases provides the tools they need to pursue innovations and breakthroughs that may prove vital to the future of the semiconductor value chain."

Selected academic partners may join the ACS University Program now at no cost. Advantest plans to broaden membership access later this year.

Advantest (TSE: 6857) is the leading manufacturer of automatic test and measurement equipment used in the design and production of semiconductors for applications including 5G communications, the Internet of Things (IoT), autonomous vehicles, high performance computing (HPC) including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, and more. Its leading-edge systems and products are integrated into the most advanced semiconductor production lines in the world. The company also conducts R&D to address emerging testing challenges and applications; develops advanced test-interface solutions for wafer sort and final test; produces scanning electron microscopes essential to photomask manufacturing; and offers system-level test solutions and other test-related accessories. Founded in Tokyo in 1954, Advantest is a global company with facilities around the world and an international commitment to sustainable practices and social responsibility. More information is available at www.advantest.com/cn/.