PDF Solutions Second Generation DFI System Achieves Commercial Deployment

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 16, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PDF Solutions^® (NASDAQ: PDFS), a leading provider of data and analytics solutions for the semiconductor industry, announced today the commercial deployment of its second generation Design-for-Inspection™ solution, which includes the eProbe® 250. The system is currently being prepared for shipment.

Following three years of investment and development, the second generation system includes orders of magnitude advances in throughput and accuracy that now enable DFI™ on-chip instruments to be used for inline control for leading-edge semiconductor process nodes.

“We are very pleased to achieve commercial deployment of this second generation DFI system,” said John Kibarian, Chief Executive Officer of PDF Solutions. Dr. Kibarian continued, “We see this as validation of our vision and R&D efforts over the last three years. This milestone demonstrates the value of and need for PDF Solutions’ integrated DFI solutions and, I believe, bodes well for the future of DFI.” 

About the DFI System

The DFI solution is designed to enable early detection of defects in the semiconductor manufacturing process by placing on-chip instruments with calibrated electrical responses directly in the product wafer without any die area penalty. The DFI system incorporates proprietary on-chip instruments and a specialized e-beam tool to enable a unique, fast scanning approach that is necessary for inline measurement of product wafers. The electrical measurements augment and enhance existing optical defect inspection and metrology. DFI is based on PDF Solutions’ more than 20 years of yield simulation software and Characterization Vehicle® test chip development.

DFI is available from PDF Solutions immediately for evaluation, license and deployment. For more information, contact info@pdf.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The statements made in this press release regarding the success of the Company’s products and solutions, expected business performance, and financial results are forward looking and are subject to events and circumstances of the future. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties that could cause results to differ materially include risks associated with: continued adoption of the Company’s solutions by new and existing customers, project milestones or delays and performance criteria achieved, the integration with customers’ systems, and other risks set forth in PDF Solutions’ periodic public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, its Annual Reports on Form 10-K, most recently filed for the year ended December 31, 2017, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to such reports. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and PDF Solutions does not assume any obligation to update such statements nor the reasons why actual results could differ materially from those projected in such statements.

ABOUT PDF SOLUTIONS
PDF Solutions provides industry-leading data and analytics solutions to improve semiconductor process efficiency and product reliability by generating differentiated, proprietary Electrical Characterization Data (ECD) from IC products and manufacturing processes and providing a Big Data platform to analyze ECD and all other data types from across the global supply chain. The differentiated data generated, collected and analyzed by the entire portfolio of PDF Solutions products benefits all companies in the semiconductor ecosystem.

The Exensio^® platform for big data unlocks relevant, actionable information buried in wafer fabrication, process control, and test data – as well as ECD – through four key components: Yield, Control, Test, ALPS and Char. The Exensio platform is available either on-premise or via software as a service (SaaS). The Design-for-Inspection™ solution generates differentiated data through e-beam measurement of extremely dense test structures, or DFI™ cells, across an entire fabrication process. Characterization Vehicle^® (CV^®) electrical test chip infrastructure provides core modeling capabilities, and is used by more leading manufacturers than any other test chips in the industry.

Headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., PDF Solutions operates worldwide with additional offices in Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. PDF Solutions is listed on The NASDAQ National Market under the ticker symbol PDFS. For the Company’s latest news and information, visit http://www.pdf.com/.

Characterization Vehicle, CV, Exensio, PDF Solutions, and the PDF Solutions logo are registered trademarks of PDF Solutions, Inc. or its subsidiaries. ALPS, Design-for-Inspection, and DFI are trademarks of PDF Solutions, Inc. or its subsidiaries.