Advantest"s Failure-Diagnostics Solution for Complex SoCs to be Fully Compatible With Mentor Graphics" State-of-the-Art ATPG Tool

Companies' Partnership Will Help Bridge the Design-to-Manufacturing Gap, Ensuring Tight Integration Between Advantest T6000 Series SoC Test Systems And Mentor's FastScan(TM) ATPG Tools

SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Advantest Corporation (NYSE: ATE; TSE: 6857), a global leader in semiconductor test systems, today announced it is partnering with leading electronic design automation (EDA) company Mentor Graphics Corporation (Nasdaq: MENT - News) to ensure that Advantest's failure-diagnostics solution for deep-submicron, high-speed system-on-chip (SoC) designs is fully compatible with Mentor's suite of FastScan(TM) automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) tools. Advantest's SoC failure-diagnostics tool, currently under development and to be formally unveiled in September 2002, will use data communication between the company's T6000 series ATE systems and Mentor's FastScan ATPG tool to deliver fast, accurate pinpoint detection of failures in complex devices such as SoCs.

"As device sizes continue to shrink and greater complexity and functionality are added, the gap between design and manufacturing is becoming increasingly challenging," said Nick Konidaris, president and chief executive officer of Advantest America, Inc. "Chipmakers need to know that all the work being put into perfecting complex chip designs will not be lost due to downstream manufacturing incompatibilities. Working closely with Mentor Graphics will enable us to develop an SoC failure-diagnostics tool that optimizes and streamlines communication between our T6000 series and Mentor's FastScan suite, ensuring optimal failure discovery and repair."

Advantest's SoC failure diagnostics-tool will feed data on the location of the device failure from the T6000 series ATE system directly into the FastScan diagnostics tool, enabling precise identification of the failing node and discovery of the most common defects. The Advantest tool with FastScan support will be especially effective for diagnosing scan-based design, the largest and most time-consuming part of any DFT methodology. By automating the failure diagnosis process, the user can reduce the turnaround time of analysis for both the design and production-test teams.

"Providing customers with an automated diagnostic flow reduces the amount of time required for failure analysis and, more importantly, accelerates yield improvements and thus volume production," said Robert Hum, vice president and general manager, Design-for-Test, Mentor Graphics. "This partnership with Advantest helps eliminate the barrier between design and test by arming these teams with best-in-class products integrated into an intuitive and transparent flow."

In addition, Advantest has implemented these failure diagnostics methods on its e-beam test system. Linking fault localization information and design information will enable more precise and accurate failure area and defect factors to be specified.

About Mentor Graphics:

Mentor Graphics Corporation is a world leader in electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products, consulting services and award- winning support for the world's most successful electronics and semiconductor companies. Established in 1981, the company reported revenues over the last 12 months of about $600 million and employs approximately 3,500 people worldwide. Corporate headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Ore. 97070-7777; Silicon Valley headquarters are located at 1001 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, Calif. 95131-2314. World Wide Web site: www.mentor.com.

About Advantest:

Advantest Corporation is one of the world's leading automatic test equipment suppliers to the semiconductor industry, and is also a producer of electronic and optoelectronic instruments and systems. A global company, Advantest has long offered total ATE solutions, and serves the industry in every component of semiconductor test: tester, handler, mechanical and electrical interfaces, and software. Its logic, memory, mixed-signal and RF testers, and device handlers, are integrated into the most advanced semiconductor fabrication lines in the world. Founded in Tokyo in 1954, Advantest established its North American subsidiary in 1982. Advantest America, Inc.; Advantest America R&D Center, Inc.; and Advantest Test Engineering Corporation are based in Santa Clara, Calif. Advantest America Design Center, Inc. is located in Portland, Ore. The newly established Advantest America Measuring Solutions, Inc. will distribute Advantest electronic measuring instrument products in North America from July 1, 2002. More information is available at www.advantest.com.

NOTE: Mentor Graphics is a registered trademark and FastScan is a trademark of Mentor Graphics Corporation. All other company or product names are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owners.