FormFactor and Physik Instrumente (PI) Join in MeasureOne Partnership to Advance Silicon Photonics Test and Measurement Development

Companies Celebrate Five Year Anniversary of Cooperative Work on Industry-Leading Solution

LIVERMORE, Calif. and KARLSRUHE, Germany, Sept. 08, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FormFactor, Inc. (NASDAQ:FORM), a leading electrical test and measurement supplier to the semiconductor industry, and Physik Instrumente (PI), the market and technology leader for high-precision positioning technology and piezo applications, announced today the companies have joined in a MeasureOne partnership to accelerate development of silicon photonics test and measurement applications.  MeasureOne is a commitment between FormFactor and a select group of partners to deliver performance-validated, integrated solutions to address customers’ test and measurement applications.

FormFactor and PI’s relationship began five years ago to bring to the market a fully automated and reliable probing system to test silicon photonics devices in wafer and die form. Silicon photonics can enable the transfer of enormous amounts of data at high speeds using optical signals instead of electrical signals. The global silicon photonics market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 19.7% between 2019 and 2027, according to Inkwood Research*.

"From our initial engagement in 2015, our progress in developing a production-worthy silicon photonics test and measurement solution has delivered compelling customer benefits,” said Claus Dietrich, VP and GM of the Systems Business Unit at FormFactor. "PI’s motion technology and fast, firmware-based optical alignment capabilities, combined with FormFactor’s system integration and calibration know-how, are enabling high precision and verifiable measurements out of the box. This reduces what used to take days, weeks or months to a matter of minutes.”

"Partnering with pioneers always leads to meaningful innovation that can move the needle of entire industries,” said Scott Jordan, Head of Photonics at PI and PI US fellow.  "FormFactor’s success with their advanced probers for silicon photonics is a great example.  Early on, FormFactor recognized the critical role silicon photonics was going to play, and that fast and reliable test-and-measurement tools are key.  We shared their vision and were ready with unique intelligent micro-robotic technologies that addressed the roadblocks for fast automated testing.  We consider the inclusion in FormFactor’s MeasureOne partnership program to be a great honor and, at the same time, it reflects a serious obligation to press forward together to continue enabling the industry for the benefit of our mutual customers.”

The collaboration has produced several industry-first capabilities and other milestones in the test and measurement of silicon photonics devices. Some of these include:

•          Six-axis automated nano-precision optical fiber positioning
•          The world’s fastest photonic alignment including quick optimization of array devices, typically 100 times faster than previous technology allowed
•          Die and wafer-level edge coupling for photonic devices for measurement capability that closely simulates device operation
•          Advanced, in-situ optical calibration with FormFactor’s proprietary OptoVue™ and OptoVue™ Pro for faster time to accurate measurement results
•          Customized scripting and test programs to optimize the system for fast, accurate measurements

To date, FormFactor silicon photonics systems are in use at more than 20 of the world’s leading silicon photonics device manufacturers. More information regarding Formfactor’s Silicon Photonics test and measurement systems and the MeasureOne program is available at www.formfactor.com.

*https://www.inkwoodresearch.com/global-silicon-photonics-market/

About FormFactor
FormFactor, Inc. (NASDAQ:FORM), is a leading provider of essential test and measurement technologies along the full IC life cycle – from metrology and inspection, characterization, modeling, reliability, and design debug, to qualification and production test. Semiconductor companies rely upon FormFactor’s products and services to accelerate profitability by optimizing device performance and advancing yield knowledge. The Company serves customers through its network of facilities in Asia, Europe, and North America. For more information, visit the Company’s website at www.formfactor.com.

PI in Brief
PI (Physik Instrumente), headquartered in Karlsruhe, Germany is the market and technology leader for high-precision positioning technology and piezo applications in the semiconductor industry, life sciences, photonics, and in industrial automation. In close cooperation with customers from all over the world and for 50 years now, PI's specialists (approx. 1,300) have been pushing, again and again, the boundaries of what is technically possible and developing customized solutions from scratch. More than 350 granted and pending patents underline the company's claim to innovation. PI has six production sites and 15 sales and service offices in Europe, North America, and Asia.

Investor Contact (FORM):
Stan Finkelstein
Investor Relations
(925) 290-4321
ir@formfactor.com

Trade Contact (FORM):
David Viera
Corporate Communications
(925) 290-4182
david.viera@formfactor.com

Contact (PI):
Markus Wiederspahn
Global Campaign Management / Marketing & Communications
+49 721 4846-1819
m.wiederspahn@pi.de