Vitesse Lowers Cost of High Speed Memory Testing With Fanout and Deskew Functions in Single IC
CAMARILLO, CALIF. (Nov. 16) BUSINESS WIRE -Nov. 16, 1998--Vitesse
Semiconductor Corp. (Nasdaq:VTSS) Monday introduced the VSC6250, a
1Gb/s deskew IC designed for use in automatic test equipment targeted
at the Rambus and high speed memory test markets.
This fully digital IC incorporates the deskew and fanout functions on a
single IC, reducing board space requirements and lowering the cost of
automated test equipment (ATE). This integrated circuit performs the
fanout of 1 or 2 input signals to 16 outputs and adjusts the delay of
those 16 outputs over a range of 5ns with 6ps resolution. The device
works for signals up to 1Gb/s and pulse widths as low as 750ps. The
VSC6250 may also be used in backplane and clock distribution
applications in computers, datacommunications and telecommunications to
deskew backplane cables or interconnect at OC-12 (622Mb/s) data rates.
"The next generation of Rambus testers must test at-speed at greater
than 800Mb/s with better accuracy than that of existing testers. As
the Direct Rambus DRAM volume ramps for mainstream PC main memory, cost
of test must be lowered dramatically," stated Dr. Jim Gasbarro, test
technology manager of the memory technology division at Rambus Inc.
"The VSC6250 is the first standard product deskew IC that meets these
requirements and enables the use of a low-cost, shared-resource tester
architecture for memory test," continued Gasbarro.
"Because fanout and deskew ICs with Rambus performance levels, such as
the VSC6250, have not been available, ATE manufacturers have simply
adapted current logic testers to test Rambus memory devices, with the
limitation that only a few devices can be tested in parallel," stated
Allan Armstrong, product marketing manager of Vitesse's ATE products
division. "With the introduction of the VSC6250, ATE manufacturers can
now create testers with a shared resource architecture to dramatically
lower cost of test. By producing a system capable of testing up to 64
DUTs in parallel, the depreciation of the tester can be shared among
many more devices, enabling lower cost components," concluded
Armstrong.
The VSC6250 is the latest product in a growing list of standard
off-the-shelf solutions developed by Vitesse for use by the ATE
equipment market. The device is packaged in a low-cost 128pin PQFP
package. It dissipates 5W from a single -2V supply. Samples are
available today with production scheduled for December. Pricing is $58
in quantities of 1,000.
Vitesse Semiconductor is a world leader in the design, development,
manufacturing and marketing of high bandwidth communications and
Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) integrated circuits (ICs). The
company's products address the needs of telecommunications,
datacommunications and ATE equipment manufacturers who demand a
combination of high speed, high complexity and low power dissipation.
Vitesse corporate headquarters is in Camarillo, with its second
fabrication facility in Colorado Springs producing volume supplies of
IC. Company/product information can be found on the Web at
www.vitesse.com.
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CONTACT: Vitesse Semiconductor
Patricia Ito, 805/388-3700
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