Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 29 April 2026 – DAS Environmental Experts presents its latest sustainable technologies at SEMICON SEA 2026 (May 5–7, MITEC, Booth 1174). The focus is on closing resource loops in semiconductor manufacturing through integrated waste gas and water treatment.

Integrated environmental technologies for next-generation fabs

High-performance connectivity software delivers structured, high-volume equipment data required by tier-one fabs and advanced packaging facilities ahead of the expected mid-2026 SEMI standards update

POITIERS, March 25, 2026 – Agileo Automation, a leading provider of control and connectivity solutions for global semiconductor manufacturing, today unveils Agil'EDA, a new software solution implementing Equipment Data Acquisition (EDA), a set of SEMI standards also known as Interface A, to enable semiconductor equipment manufacturers to meet the evolving high-performance connectivity requirements of tier-one fabs and advanced packaging facilities.

As semiconductor manufacturing moves towards higher levels of automation and data-driven optimization, fab owners increasingly require EDA alongside traditional SECS/GEM connectivity from semiconductor OEMs for their production tools. Agil'EDA addresses this by separating the control flow from the data flow, ensuring that structured, high-frequency data collection does not interfere with critical equipment operations.
Designed for long-term deployment, Agil'EDA fully supports the widely used EDA Freeze 2 (SOAP/XML) and is architected for the transition to Freeze 3 (gRPC/protocol buffers). This next-generation standard offers significantly higher data throughput and reduced latency. Agileo has already successfully tested and validated its EDA Freeze 3 implementation at SEMI’s North America Standards Fall Meetings in November 2024 in Milpitas, California. SEMI’s EDA Freeze 3 standards suite is expected to be released mid-2026.

Complementing the SECS/GEM standards used to control equipment behavior, Agil’EDA incorporates robust cybersecurity features such as authentication and encrypted communications. The product is available as a stand-alone solution for any existing equipment software using a platform-independent gRPC application programming interface (API) to communicate with it or as a pre-integrated component within Agileo’s A²ECF-SEMI framework. When used with Agil'GEM and Agil'GEM300, it provides a comprehensive connectivity solution that significantly reduces time to market for OEMs.

"With the growing demand for data to improve yield in tier-one fabs, as well as in Advanced Packaging and 3D integration, EDA is no longer optional. It is becoming a mandatory requirement for equipment entering the world's most advanced fabs," explains Marc Engel, chief executive officer of Agileo Automation. "The key value we deliver for OEMs is a fast and easy adoption path for a seamless EDA architecture that delivers compliant production machines to global fab customers. By providing a future-proof architecture ready for Freeze 3, which will significantly increase performance, we address OEMs’ current needs while preparing them for the evolving requirements of semiconductor manufacturing, including AI-driven process control."

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About Agileo Automation
Agileo Automation is a trusted partner for equipment manufacturers, helping them build smarter, automated, and more connected machines that integrate seamlessly into advanced semiconductor fabs. Founded in 2010 in Poitiers, France, Agileo helps OEMs with control, communication, data acquisition, and testing across their tools through proven software and expert support. Its flagship A²ECF-SEMI framework provides a solid foundation for developing equipment controllers fully aligned with SEMI SECS/GEM, GEM300, and EDA standards. As an active member of SEMI and the OPC Foundation, Agileo Automation contributes directly to shaping the standards that drive manufacturing. For more information, please visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn.

• Read more about Agileo Automation Launches Agil'EDA to Accelerate SEMI EDA Adoption for Semiconductor Equipment OEMs

Brings Advocacy for the adoption of RISC-V processors and processor verification tool standards

Leverages broad experience in EDA business strategy, marketing and sales

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Breker Verification Systems today named Larry Lapides, former Synopsys Executive Director of RISC-V Tools Business Development, to its Advisory Board.

In making today’s announcement, David Kelf, Breker’s CEO, noted that Lapides has been a tireless advocate for the adoption of RISC-V processors and the urgent need for RISC-V processor verification tool standards. “Larry’s RISC-V knowledge and his ties to the RISC-V community are welcome additions to Breker and our advisory board.”

“Breker sits at the forefront in the development of commercial processor verification solutions and is a valued member of the RISC-V community,” remarks Lapides. “It will be a pleasure to work with Breker to move this important effort forward.”

Larry Lapides Biography
Lapides joined Synopsys through the acquisition of Imperas Software, where he was Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Marketing. He previously ran worldwide sales at EDA companies including Verisity Design and has more than 30 years in software tools and EDA, plus time spent in infrared systems engineering.

Lapides holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics from UC Berkeley, a Master of Science degree in Applied Physics from Cornell University and an MBA from Clark University in Worcester, Mass.

About Breker Verification Systems
Breker Verification Systems solves complex semiconductor challenges across the functional verification process from streamlining UVM-based testbench composition to execution for IP block verification, significantly enhancing SoC integration and firmware verification with automated solutions that provide test content portability and reuse. Breker’s solutions include a SystemVIP library of scenarios for RISC-V and Arm, core and SoC testing, coherency, security and other critical areas. Breker solutions easily layer into existing environments and operate across simulation, emulation, prototyping, and post-silicon execution platforms. Its Trek family is production-proven at leading semiconductor companies worldwide and enables design managers and verification engineers to realize measurable productivity gains, speed coverage closure and easy verification knowledge reuse. As a leader in the development of the Accellera Portable Stimulus Standard (PSS), privately held Breker has a reputation for dramatically reducing verification schedules in advanced development environments. Case studies that feature Analog Devices, Broadcom, IBM and other companies leveraging Breker’s solutions are available on the Breker website.

Engage with Breker at:
Website: www.brekersystems.com
Twitter: @BrekerSystems
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/breker-verification-systems/

TrekSoC, TrekSoC-Si, TrekBox and SoC Scenario Modeling are registered trademark of Breker Verification Systems. Breker Verification Systems acknowledges trademarks or registered trademarks of other organizations for their respective products.

• Read more about Breker Verification Systems Adds RISC-V Industry Expert Larry Lapides to its Advisory Board

Oxford Instruments, a leading provider of advanced plasma processing solutions, today announced a plasma equipment supply agreement with Applied Optoelectronics Inc. (AOI) (Nasdaq: AAOI), a leading provider of advanced optical and hybrid fibre-coaxial networking products that power the internet, for several etch and deposition cluster systems at their facility in Sugar Land, Texas.

The agreement will support AOI’s transformative expansion and technological advancements in indium phosphide (InP) for optoelectronic device manufacturing, as the company rapidly scales to increase production capacity within the U.S.

As AOI undergoes a significant growth phase, the company is upgrading its production capabilities to meet increasing demand for high-performance InP optoelectronic devices. Oxford Instruments’ advanced plasma etch and deposition processing systems will play a key role in this transformation by supporting AOI with fully automated 3-4-6-inch capable production systems for InP processes.

“AOI is expanding its U.S. manufacturing capacity in Texas to support demand for our optical transceivers in AI datacentres, and key suppliers like Oxford Instruments will help us continue to upgrade our fully automated production line,” said Fred Chang, Senior Vice President and North American General Manager at AOI. “With our combined technology, we can speed the processing of multiple wafer sizes, ranging from 3 to 6 inches, while improving overall quality and reducing costs.”

“AOI has been a valued long-term partner, and we are thrilled to have earned their trust as the chosen supplier for their production expansion and technology upgrades. Our unique high-temperature Electrostatic Chuck (ESC) design, which enables advanced processing capabilities, was a key factor in their decision. AOI also conducted an extensive vendor qualification process, including a visit to our brand-new purpose-built manufacturing facility in Bristol, UK, where we received high praise for our technology and production capabilities,” said Emiel Thijssen, Vice President of Sales and Business Development USA, Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology. “We are also investing significantly to ensure we continue to deliver world-class service capability in the Texas region, focusing on the availability of spares and expanding our field service and process engineering teams, to support the rapid expansion of leading manufacturers in the region such as AOI.”

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For media enquiries, please contact:
Grant Baldwin, Head of Marketing
Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology
E: [email protected]
About Oxford Instruments plc
Oxford Instruments provides academic and commercial organisations worldwide with market-leading scientific technology and expertise across its key market segments: Materials Analysis, Healthcare & Life Science and Semiconductors. Innovation is the driving force behind Oxford Instruments' growth and success, supporting its core purpose to accelerate the breakthroughs that create a brighter future for our world. The vigorous search for new ways to make our world greener, healthier and more productive is driving unprecedented levels of R&D investment in new materials and techniques to support productivity and decarbonisation worldwide, creating a significant opportunity for Oxford Instruments to grow.

Oxford Instruments holds a unique position to anticipate global drivers and connect academic researchers with commercial applications engineers, acting as a catalyst that powers real world progress. Founded in 1959 as the first technology business to be spun out from Oxford University, Oxford Instruments is now a global company listed on the FTSE250 index of the London Stock Exchange (OXIG).

For more information, visit www.oxinst.com

About AOI 
Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AOI) is a leading developer and manufacturer of advanced optical and HFC networking products that are the building blocks for AI datacentres, CATV and broadband fibre access networks around the world. AOI supplies this critical infrastructure to tier-one customers across cloud computing, CATV broadband, telecom, and FTTH markets. The company has R&D facilities in Atlanta, GA, and engineering and manufacturing facilities at its corporate headquarters in Sugar Land, TX, as well as in Taipei, Taiwan and Ningbo, China. For additional information, visit www.ao-inc.com. 

• Read more about OXFORD INSTRUMENTS TEAMS WITH AOI TO BOOST ITS OPTOELECTRONIC DEVICE MANUFACTURING WITH NEXT-GEN INDIUM PHOSPHIDE

Advancing Thermal Scanning Probe Lithography

Zurich, Switzerland — Following the successful introduction of the modular NanoFrazor nanolithography system in 2024, Heidelberg Instruments is proud to announce the installation of the newest NanoFrazor. The system is equipped with the recent modules, enabling parallelized thermal scanning probe lithography (t-SPL). The beta site is hosted by the research partner EPFL, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland. The installation marks a significant step forward in joint efforts to bring next-generation nanofabrication technologies into practice, promising advances in nanoscale research and applications.

Designed for high-resolution lithography down to 20 nm, with application flexibility and increased throughput, the system features parallelized t-SPL with ten heated tips writing simultaneously, Direct Laser Sublimation (DLS), and advanced automation. “Parallelizing t-SPL was the logical next step in advancing thermal nanolithography. The implementation, however, was far from trivial.” states Dr. Emine Cagin, CTO of Heidelberg Instruments Nano AG. “Parallelization required a decade of development, culminating in a new and scalable framework for electronics and software that now powers the new NanoFrazor.”

The new module, named the Decapede, increases the throughput up to tenfold, without compromising on high-resolution capabilities. “With improved throughput, we are considering upscaling grayscale nano surfaces that enable deterministic and localized strain engineering of 2D materials from chip-level to wafer-scale for potential industrial integration”, says Berke Erbas, Postdoctoral Researcher in the Microsystems Laboratory at EPFL. “We also aim to upscale grayscale nanoimprint lithography stamps fabricated through t-SPL and dry-etching approaches.”

EPFL — A Hub for Innovation
EPFL’s expertise in t-SPL and broad nanofabrication capabilities make it an ideal beta site and mark the continuation of a long-standing, trusted partnership with Heidelberg Instruments. The consortium of research groups involved brings together a combination of deep knowledge in t-SPL and diverse nanofabrication techniques, along with fresh ideas and challenging applications. The generous commitment to providing continuous feedback will help Heidelberg Instruments further validate the system performance and refine user interfaces.

From Nanoelectronics to Quantum Devices, a Look Ahead
The EPFL beta site is not only a testing and validation site for the system’s capabilities but first and foremost a catalyst for innovation in nanolithography. Applications at the EPFL beta site span nanoelectronics, plasmonics, quantum devices, and bio-nano-sensors. Jürgen Brugger, Professor in Microengineering and Materials Science at EPFL, highlights: “t-SPL has proven to be an excellent tool for educating junior researchers due to its capabilities for fast prototyping with a low threshold to create nano-patterns in short time scales. We are excited to expand towards parallel writing capabilities.” For example, the Laboratory of Nanoscience for Energy Technologies (LNET), Professor Giulia Tagliabue, is exploring the use of its gray-scale functionalities for realizing advanced metasurfaces that can strongly confine light at nanoscale dimensions for energy conversion and probing of interfacial processes.

We are looking forward to seeing how the beta site will accelerate discoveries and enable new possibilities in nanoscale science, both in research and educational use of the NanoFrazor system.

Further information: https://heidelberg-instruments.com/product/nanofrazor/

• Read more about Heidelberg Instruments — Beta Site Installation of NanoFrazor with Parallelization Capabilities at EPFL

Ball Wave Inc., a pioneer in advanced chemical sensing technology, today announced that its FT-450WT online trace moisture analyzer has received full certification from Taiwan's most advanced semiconductor manufacturer following rigorous validation testing. This milestone validates Ball Wave's proprietary ball SAW sensor technology and establishes the company as a strategic supplier in the critical semiconductor manufacturing equipment sector. The certification comes at a pivotal time as semiconductor manufacturers worldwide face increasing pressure to improve yield rates and reduce contamination in advanced node production. Ball Wave's technology addresses a critical pain point in fab operations, where even parts-per-billion levels of moisture can compromise chip quality and manufacturing efficiency. The successful certification demonstrates the analyzer's reliability in the most demanding production environments and opens significant commercial opportunities for specialty gas manufacturers who are the key players plagued with trace moisture contamination. 

Ball Wave President Shingo Akao stated, "This certification validates our core technology platform and demonstrates our ability to meet the stringent requirements of the world's most sophisticated semiconductor fabs to help them avoid unplanned shutdowns due to trace moisture contamination. Ball Wave's patented ball SAW sensor represents a fundamental breakthrough in trace moisture detection, offering speed and precision unmatched by legacy technologies. With proven performance in production environments and a robust IP portfolio, we are well-positioned to capture significant market share in the rapidly growing semiconductor manufacturing equipment sector, which is projected to exceed $156 billion by 2027¹."

Business Impact: For advanced semiconductor fabs operating at 3nm and below, moisture contamination can cost $5-10 million per incident² in scrapped wafers and production delays. Industry data shows that facilities with inadequate moisture monitoring experience maintenance ratios below 1.0, where unplanned repairs consume over 50% of total downtime. Ball Wave's real-time detection capability enables preventive action before contamination reaches critical levels, helping customers avoid these costly failures and maintain the operational stability (M-ratio >4.0) essential for profitable advanced node production. This value proposition has resonated strongly with leading fabs, creating a clear path to rapid customer adoption.

About the FT-450WT and Ball Wave's Technology Platform: The FalconTrace ultra-trace moisture meter uses a proprietary ball SAW sensor to quantitatively measure the trace amounts of water molecules contained in industrial gases and natural gases. Its extremely fast response time allows for real-time monitoring of changes in moisture content, and it is also capable of measuring both moisture content and background gas composition. It can accurately measure moisture concentrations in gases down to the 1 ppbv (parts per billion) level, representing 10-100x improvement over competing technologies. The FT-450WT is a high-end model that maintains its fast response time while prioritizing integration into equipment, and the separation of the sensor unit and main body allows for greater layout flexibility in fab retrofits and new tool installations. 

Ball Wave's technology platform extends beyond moisture analysis to a broader range of chemical sensing applications, creating multiple revenue streams and cross-selling opportunities within semiconductor fabs and adjacent industries, including pharmaceuticals, aerospace, and industrial gases. 

Market Opportunity and Strategic Position: Ball Wave has established relationships with leading semiconductor manufacturers in Taiwan, with active discussions underway in South Korea, Japan, and the United States 

• The company's technology addresses a growing market as advanced node production (5nm and below) requires increasingly stringent contamination control
• Ball Wave holds key patents in ball SAW sensor technology with additional applications pending in major semiconductor manufacturing regions
• The company's university origins provide access to cutting-edge MEMS research and ongoing innovation pipeline

About Ball Wave Inc.: Ball Wave Inc. is a technology company specializing in advanced chemical sensing solutions for critical industrial applications. Founded as a spin-out from Tohoku University, a global center of excellence in MEMS technology, Ball Wave leverages proprietary ball SAW sensor technology to deliver breakthrough performance in trace contamination detection. The company serves semiconductor manufacturers, industrial gas suppliers, and other industries requiring ultra-precise gas analysis. Ball Wave is headquartered in Sendai, Japan.

For inquiries regarding this matter, please contact: Ball Wave Inc., Corporate Strategy Division, Yusuke Tsukahara 

[email protected] 

Telephone: +81-3-5979-2357 

https://www.ballwave.jp/ 

1. https://www.semi.org/en/semi-press-release/global-semiconductor-equipment-sales-projected-to-reach-a-record-of-156-billion-dollars-in-2027-semi-reports 

2. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/semiconductors/our-insights/need-to-boost-semiconductor-fab-efficiency-look-to-maintenance

• Read more about Ball Wave Receives Certification from Taiwan's Leading Semiconductor Manufacturer for Revolutionary PPB-rated, Real-time, In-situ, Trace Moisture Analyzer