GlobeNewswire Inc | Aug 31, 2021 07:30AM EDT

August 31, 2021

FREMONT, Calif., Aug. 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aehr Test Systems (NASDAQ: AEHR), a worldwide supplier of semiconductor test and reliability qualification equipment, today announced it has received initial orders totaling nearly $1.2 million from a new customer in China for its FOX-P test and burn-in solution for production test of silicon photonics devices. This new customer will also be providing contract manufacturing services to an existing customer of Aehr Test as that customer ramps production in China as well as other international markets.

The initial order includes a FOX-NP full wafer system and multiple DiePak Carriers to be used to meet this customers new product requirements and initial production needs. The system is configured with two blades which allows for both wafer level as well as singulated die and module level test and burn-in using Aehrs proprietary full wafer WaferPak Contactors or singulated die and module DiePak Carriers. The system ships within Aehrs current fiscal first quarter ending August 31, 2021 with the DiePaks to follow in the next couple of months.

Gayn Erickson, President and CEO ofAehr Test Systems, commented, We are excited to receive our first order in China for our FOX-P solution, expanding our customer base for silicon photonics with this new customer that serves international as well as China markets.

A key capability that this customer uses on our FOX system and DiePaks is our ability to make very low current measurements per device, such that we can directly measure dark currents in the optical outputs, as well as measure extremely small shifts in the threshold current per device both before and after burn-in on our system directly. Dark currentis a very smallelectric currentthat flows throughphotosensitive devicessuch as alasers, LEDs, and photodiode deviceseven when nophotonsare entering the device.

Our device specific DiePaks include multiple options for testing including the ability to precisely provide accurate voltage, currents, and digital signals as well as monitor temperature, optical output power, input or output voltages, input or output currents, input and output power, as well as digital signatures from a device such as internal registers, temperatures, and individual device IDs for 100% traceability.

We continue to be very optimistic about the silicon photonics and photonics sensors markets and believe they will be significant growth drivers for Aehr. The rapid growth of integrated optical devices in data centers and data center interconnect infrastructure, mobile devices, automotive applications, and now wearable biosensor markets is driving substantially higher requirements for initial quality and long-term reliability, and they are increasing with every new product generation. We believe these new applications are driving an entirely new level of quality and reliability expectation for these systems and pose a significant long-term growth opportunity for Aehr.

The FOX-XP system, available with multiple WaferPak Contactors (full wafer test) or multiple DiePakCarriers (singulated die/module test) configurations, is capable of functional test and burn-in/cycling of integrated devices such as silicon carbide power devices, silicon photonics as well as other optical devices, 2D and 3D sensors, flash memories, Gallium Nitride (GaN), magnetic sensors, microcontrollers, and other leading-edge ICs in either wafer form factor, before they are assembled into single or multi-die stacked packages, or in singulated die or module form factor.

About Aehr Test SystemsHeadquartered in Fremont, California, Aehr Test Systems is a worldwide provider of test systems for burning-in and testing logic, optical and memory integrated circuits and has installed over 2,500 systems worldwide. Increased quality and reliability needs of the Automotive and Mobility integrated circuit markets are driving additional test requirements, incremental capacity needs, and new opportunities for Aehr Test products in package, wafer level, and singulated die/module level test. Aehr Test has developed and introduced several innovative products, including the ABTSand FOX-Pfamilies of test and burn-in systems and FOX WaferPakAligner, FOX-XP WaferPak Contactor, FOX DiePak Carrier and FOX DiePak Loader. The ABTS system is used in production and qualification testing of packaged parts for both lower power and higher power logic devices as well as all common types of memory devices. The FOX-XP and FOX-NP systems are full wafer contact and singulated die/module test and burn-in systems used for burn-in and functional test of complex devices, such as leading-edge memories, digital signal processors, microprocessors, microcontrollers, systems-on-a-chip, and integrated optical devices. The FOX-CP system is a new low-cost single-wafer compact test and reliability verification solution for logic, memory and photonic devices and the newest addition to the FOX-P product family. The WaferPak contactor contains a unique full wafer probe card capable of testing wafers up to 300mm that enables IC manufacturers to perform test and burn-in of full wafers on Aehr Test FOX systems. The DiePak Carrier is a reusable, temporary package that enables IC manufacturers to perform cost-effective final test and burn-in of both bare die and modules. For more information, please visit Aehr Test Systems website at www.aehr.com.

Safe Harbor StatementThis press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or Aehrs future financial or operating performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates, going to, "could," "intends," "target," "projects," "contemplates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential," or "continue," or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions that concern Aehrs expectations, strategy, priorities, plans, or intentions. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, future requirements and orders of Aehrs new and existing customers; bookings forecasted for proprietary WaferPakand DiePak consumables; and expectations related to long-term demand for Aehrs productions and the attractiveness of key markets. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those more fully described in Aehrs Form 10-K for fiscal 2020, Form 10-Q for the first fiscal quarter of fiscal 2021 and other reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Aehr disclaims any obligation to update information contained in any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release.

Contacts: Aehr Test Systems MKR Investor Relations Inc.Vernon Rogers Todd Kehrli or Jim ByersEVP of Sales & Marketing Analyst/Investor Contact(510) 623-9400 x215 (323) 468-2300vrogers@aehr.com aehr@mkr-group.com