TSMC taps Saber to launch IC Validation Alliance - The Test Floor - TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR Manufacturing Co. Ltd - Brief Article

Electronic News, April 15, 2002

FOUNDRY GIANT TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC) has launched the IC Validation Alliance. Schlumberger Ltd.'s Saber subsidiary is the first alliance member. The IC Validation Alliance is the latest addition to TSMC's Design Services Alliance program, the foundry said. The IC Validation Alliance will provide designers with silicon debug and repair services.

Through Saber, TSMC customers will be able to access Schlumberger's design analysis services. For debug, Saber utilizes electron beam or laser voltage probe tools that take waveform measurements directly from the IC and trace the root cause of failures. Saber engineers then repair the silicon using focused ion beam (FIB) tools. With these technologies, Saber can debug silicon in both wirebond and flip-chip packaging, according to TSMC and Schlumberger. Saber will also offer design-for-debug and design-for-repair seminars and consulting to TSMC customers, the companies said.