Advantest Test Handler

Advantest Corporation , the world's leading supplier of semiconductor test equipment, today announced its new M7522 dynamic test handler. The unit offers the industry's highest processing speed and positioning accuracy for fine-pitch tape automated bonding (TAB) and chip-on-film (COF) package devices used in liquid crystal display (LCD) panel ICs. The M7522 dynamic test handler will be available from August 2008 and, alongside the T6373 LCD driver test system, will be displayed as part of the company's LCD Driver IC Test Solution at the "Advantest Tour de Force 2008" exhibition to be held at the Tokyo International Forum, June 3-5.

Rising demand and increased competition in the LCD market
Advancements in technology and changes in semiconductor industry business models are contributing to the continuing fall in price of LCD panels used in flat-screen televisions and computer monitors. Conversely, increasing demand for higher-definition capabilities is driving the need for higher-pin-count devices, which are more costly to produce. With the LCD market expected to expand in the coming years, not only in industrialized countries, but also in developing nations, it is predicted that growth in the flat-panel television market will be particularly strong, with demand surpassing 100 million units in 2009 and 150 million units in 2012. Because of this, worldwide shipments of the driver ICs that these LCD panels rely on are also expected to increase. However, as demonstrated by the drop in price of flat-screen televisions, competition between manufacturers has become increasingly fierce, making yield improvement and test processing speed major issues for high-volume manufacturers of LCD driver ICs. With its enhanced handling capabilities, Advantest's M7522 dynamic test handler addresses such issues.