iRoC Technologies has developed a radiation test shuttle service to detect soft errors and determine soft error rate (SER) in memory and logic ICs. The test measures the effects of alpha particles, thermal neutrons and atmospheric neutrons replicated by a high-energy neutron beam. The result is a SER qualification for ICs, iRoC said. The next tests to be conducted will be at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) in New Mexico. The test follows the only existing JEDEC standard, which describes the necessary steps for a fully representative test sequence using alpha and neutron sources.

The subsystem RF Beacon

SZ Test has also rolled out a versatile mixed signal electronic pin, VPIN, which features data rates up to 50MHz, high-voltage swing between -2V and +28V, and the capability for parallel and multisite testing. The VPIN has a dedicated sequencer for each channel, allowing for the generation of synchronous and asynchronous patterns with varying data rates, according to SZ. It can be equipped with up to 8Mbytes of memory per channel. The new pin also features a split I/O mode, which allows a single VPIN channel to drive one device-under-test input while simultaneously comparing a separate output pin, SZ said.

On the software side, SZ has introduced an integrated development environment for its SZ Programming and ATE Controlling Environment (Space) software called Space 5.0. Space is a graphical development tool and an operational environment for SZ Test's M3650, M3300 Piranha, M3660 Falcon and M3900 Kodiak test systems.

LTX Corp. reported sales of $32.6 million and a net loss of $90.3 million, or $1.84 per share, for its fiscal Q4, which included a one-time, non-cash valuation allowance for net deferred tax assets. Without that one-time charge, the quarterly loss would have been 23 cents per share. In the prior quarter, LTX posted sales of $28 million and a net loss of 25 cents per share. For its fiscal year, which ended July 31, sales were $121.3 million, down from $330 million posted in the prior year. Losses were $3.08 per share, which included an excess inventory charge as well as the allowance for net deferred tax assets. Excluding these two items, losses were 94 cents for the year. For the prior fiscal year, net income was $21.1 million, or 43 cents per share. The company gained 11 new customers during the past fiscal year, including two new Asian subcontract test houses during the past quarter, LTX said.

Agilent Technologies Inc. and Cascade Microtech Inc. recently introduced a fully integrated modeling system that enables measurements up to 110GHz by combining the Agilent 85226A millimeter-wave modeling system with Cascade's Summit semiautomated 12000 or S300 RF/microwave 200mm- and 300mm-wafer probe stations. The system is controlled by Agilent's Integrated Circuit Characterization and Analysis Program. The Agilent 85226A millimeter-wave modeling system includes a DC subsystem that offers DC measurements and an RF subsystem that includes the Agilent 8510XF 110GHz network analyzer system. The DC subsystem is combined with the RF subsystem through the 8510XF test heads that are positioned close to the probe tips to minimize RF losses, Agilent said. Cascade Microtech's probing systems include its MicroChamber, which eliminates the need to reconfigure the test system between RF and parametric tests on the same wafer; a thermally isolated auxiliary chuck; mode-free millimeter-wave calibration standards; and WinCal Calibration Software. Standard and custom configured systems for the Agilent 85226A millimeter-wave modeling system and IC-CAP release 2002 are available now. The Agilent 85226A is priced at $587,000, and the IC-CAP release 2002 is priced starting at $13,000. The Cascade Microtech probing systems and probes are available from Cascade with prices starting at $70,000.

Kontron AG has released an eight-slot CompactPCI high-density packet switched platform, the XL-LP42. Built on the PICMG 2.16 specification, the platform can route signals across a 2.16-compliant backplane without the use of cables. Seven CompactPCI slots support 32bit/33MHz or 64bit/66MHz systems and peripheral processor boards, and one slot is dedicated for a PICMG 2.16-compliant switched fabric processor. The XL-LP42 also has two PCI bus segments with a H.110 telephony bus that are routed to peripheral slots on each segment. An optional Intelligent Platform Management Interface chassis management module can continuously monitor the status of multiple system processor boards and report potential problems. It also supports SNMP and Telnet. The XL-LP42 has a compact 4U, 19-inch rack-mount design, the company said. It measures 17.2 inches by 7 inches by 12.25 inches, weighs 30.5 pounds and has an operating temperature of 41 degrees Fahrenheit to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. It is available for immediate delivery in OEM quantities, Kontron said.