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

Gütenbach, Germany – December 16, 2025 – RENA Technologies is proud to be a key industrial partner in a new 1.3 million Euro Government-funded project led by the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and supported by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). The initiative will establish critical new metrology capabilities to strengthen the UK’s semiconductor innovation infrastructure and accelerate the development and adoption of next-generation semiconductor materials and processes.

This strategic investment underlines the UK’s commitment to maintaining global competitiveness in semiconductors, helping to attract private investment, strengthen supply chains, and support long-term economic growth. As advanced semiconductor materials become central to technologies such as electric vehicles, renewable energy, 5G communications and advanced electronics, robust measurement, verification and standards are increasingly essential.

The project brings together a broad consortium spanning industry and academia. Together, the partners cover the full innovation landscape, from materials research and process development to device fabrication and performance verification.

“At RENA, we develop advanced wet processing and surface treatment solutions that are critical in manufacturing of compound semiconductors and emerging materials. Through this collaboration, RENA will contribute industrial insight and process expertise to ensure that new measurement and testing capabilities are closely aligned with real manufacturing challenges.” States Peter Schneidewind, CEO of RENA Technologies.

While silicon remains the foundation of much of today’s semiconductor industry, many high-growth applications increasingly depend on advanced materials such as gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium nitride (GaN), silicon carbide (SiC), and indium phosphide (InP). These materials offer superior performance in high-power, high-frequency and optoelectronic applications, but they also introduce new complexities in processing, characterization and quality assurance. Reliable standards and independent measurement methods are therefore essential to derisk innovation and support scale-up.

Through this project, consortium partners will work with NPL to:
• Develop new UK measurement and test capabilities for advanced semiconductor materials by combining academic research excellence with world-leading metrology expertise.
• Apply these capabilities to critical industry challenges, including assessing material integrity, verifying RF performance, and testing device reliability under demanding operating conditions.
• Share the resulting capabilities openly with industry, helping to build national consensus and strengthen the UK’s influence in international standards development for novel semiconductor technologies.

Following extensive consultation the consortium has identified three priority application areas where the UK can have the greatest global impact: power electronics, RF-communications, and optoelectronics. These areas align closely with RENA’s customer base and technology roadmap, particularly in power and compound semiconductor manufacturing.
By participating in this program, RENA reinforces its commitment to supporting the UK semiconductor ecosystem with industrially relevant innovation, enabling customers to adopt advanced materials with confidence, and helping position the UK as a global leader in next-generation semiconductor technologies.

About NPL
The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is the UK's National Metrology Institute (NMI), developing and maintaining the national primary measurement standards, as well as collaborating with other NMIs to maintain the international system of measurement. As a public sector research establishment, it delivers extraordinary impact by providing the measurement capability that underpins the UK's prosperity and quality of life. NPL develops the metrology required to ensure the timely and successful deployment of new technologies and work with organizations as they develop and test new products and processes.

About RENA Technologies GmbH
RENA Technologies is a leading global supplier of production machines for wet chemical surface preparation. RENA products are used in path-breaking application fields such as semiconductors, MedTech, renewable energies, and the glass industry. RENA equipment is used to treat or modify surfaces of, for example, semiconductor wafers, solar cells, glass, optical substrates or other high-tech products using wet chemical processes. RENA offers proven standard machines as well as customer-specific solutions and process support.

• Read more about RENA joins UK Government-funded consortium to strengthen national semiconductor metrology capabilities

New SECS-II library helps fabs and OEMs integrate semiconductor tools with the MES in hybrid manufacturing sites, ensuring faster time to market and limiting integration costs

MUNICH, November 18, 2025 – Agileo Automation, a leading provider of control and connectivity solutions for global semiconductor manufacturing, today unveils Agil’SECS-II at Booth #C2518 at SEMICON Europa 2025. This new SECS-II library, featuring built-in SEMI standard communication, enables a manufacturing execution system (MES) to accelerate the integration and validation of hybrid semiconductor and traditional manufacturing tools on production lines, ensuring faster time to market, lower integration costs, and reduced deployment risks. With this connection gateway, users can send and receive any SEMI SECS-II-compliant message as host or equipment for full GEM and GEM300 equipment integration and validation. This product can prove valuable for a variety of customers:

• Pure semiconductor original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that need a practical way to develop an MES simulator and exercise their equipment under fab-like conditions. For small production lines or multi-tool set-ups exchanging data through SECS/GEM, Agil’SECS-II allows OEMs to design, test, and validate their equipment efficiently before shipping it to fabs.

• Customized, multi-industry, or low-volume production sites that use an MES system to integrate both traditional production machines and semiconductor tools. Agil’SECS-II simplifies integration in mixed equipment environments, especially where the MES cannot use SECS/GEM because most tools rely on protocols such as OPC UA, Modbus, or MQTT, yet semiconductor equipment using SECS/GEM must be integrated within the same MES.

• Laboratories and pilot lines without a full-featured MES that require a driver to collect data from various types of manufacturing equipment, including process, inspection, and metrology tools, to ensure quality and process control as well as complete traceability.

“With Agil’SECS-II, we wanted to provide a flexible tool that can serve multiple types of customers who can benefit from a proven software foundation built on more than 15 years of deployment experience in semiconductor fabs worldwide,” explains Marc Engel, chief executive officer of Agileo Automation. “Our SECS-II driver is especially useful for validating the processes of hybrid fabs that combine semiconductor and non-semiconductor manufacturing equipment, such as silicon carbide (SiC) wafer production lines or advanced packaging lines. It enables product and process traceability with legacy MES and helps OEMs developing equipment for these lines create MES simulators to verify information flow between tools using heterogeneous communication protocols.”

- ends -

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 Automation helps OEMs optimize control, communication, data acquisition, and testing across their tools through proven software frameworks, applications, 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 Industry 4.0 manufacturing. For more information, please visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn.

• Read more about Agileo Automation Launches Agil’SECS-II to Enable Semiconductor OEMs, Multi-Industry Fabs, and Labs to Accelerate Equipment Integration on Production Lines

RENA Technologies marks a new milestone in the semiconductor industry with the launch of Vanguard, a state-of-the-art, fully automated single-wafer platform designed for wet chemical cleaning, etching, and drying of 200mm and 300mm wafers. Engineered for performance, efficiency, and scalability, Vanguard offers new possibilities for advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

Broaden the Possibilities in Wafer Wet Processing

Vanguard is purpose-built to address the rising demands of next-generation semiconductor substrates and materials. Supporting 4 to 8 independent processing chambers within a compact footprint, the system delivers high throughput without compromising cleanroom space. Its advanced chemical cleaning and double-sided processing—handling up to five distinct chemistries—minimizes contamination, substrate damage, and defects, ensuring wafers meet the stringent yield and quality requirements of cutting-edge chip manufacturing.

"With the launch of our new semiconductor wet processing platform, we are entering a new aera in precision, efficiency, and reliability for advanced chip manufacturing. This machine embodies our commitment to innovation—delivering not only superior process control but also the flexibility our customers need to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry. It represents a decisive step in enabling the next generation of semiconductor technologies for both high-volume manufacturing lines and R&D fabs." Emphasizes Peter Schneidewind, CEO of RENA Technologies.

Scalable, Modular Design 

Vanguard’s modular architecture grows with customer needs. Fabs can easily adjust chamber count and process configurations to match evolving requirements, from R&D to high-volume production.
The platform integrates internal chemistry preparation for precise formulation control, ensuring consistent process delivery and minimizing chemical consumption. This reduces operating costs and environmental impact—key considerations for sustainable fabs.

Serviceability is also built-in: each chamber operates independently, allowing maintenance without halting production. Combined with AI-assisted process control, and the digital service platform RENA Connect Hub, customers gain maximum uptime and efficiency.

Next-Level Automation and Compatibility

With its digital twin simulation, customers can model system integration, test interfaces, and even simulate throughput with real process data—well before installation. Training and upgrades can be conducted seamlessly during live production.

Fully GEM300 compatible, Vanguard is integration-ready from day one. Operating within a Class 1 mini environment, it guarantees ultra-clean wafer handling, while its advanced drying ensures residue-free, pristine surfaces for downstream processing.

Key Features at a Glance

• Fully automated wet processing for 200mm / 300mm wafers
• Scalable from 4 to 8 single-wafer chambers
• Double-sided cleaning with up to 5 chemicals
• Internal chemistry preparation system
• AI-assisted software with predictive maintenance
• Advanced drying technology
• Class 1 mini environment for ultra-clean operation
• Compact footprint with high-throughput capability
• GEM300 factory-integration ready
• Low chemical usage for reduced cost and environmental impact 

Availability

Vanguard is officially available as of today. Semiconductor fabs and foundries seeking to modernize their wet processing capabilities now have access to a solution that combines performance, scalability, and sustainability—delivered today for the challenges of tomorrow.

• Read more about Introducing Vanguard: The New Single-Wafer Cleaning and Etching Tool from RENA Technologies

OXFORD INSTRUMENTS PROVIDES COHERENT WITH STATE-OF-THE-ART, FULLY AUTOMATED PROCESSING EQUIPMENT, FOR 6” INP WAFER MANUFACTURING, ENABLING NEXT GENERATION AI APPLICATIONS

Oxford Instruments (OXIG), a leading provider of advanced plasma processing solutions for the compound semiconductor industry, announces the key role it is playing to support the industry’s first fully automated 6-inch indium phosphide (InP) wafer fabrication capability for photonic devices, led by Coherent Corp. (NYSE: COHR), a global leader in compound semiconductors and high-performance optical networking solutions.

Oxford Instruments’ cutting-edge plasma processing equipment is central to Coherent’s groundbreaking achievement of ramping up 6-inch InP fabs in Sherman, Texas, and Järfälla, Sweden. These fabs will play a pivotal role in driving advancements in AI datacentre, telecommunications, and sensing applications. Coherent’s transition to 6-inch wafers is set to deliver significant benefits, including a substantial increase in capacity, lower die cost and more than four times the number of devices per wafer.

Oxford Instruments has supplied fully automated, high-throughput 6-inch InP processing equipment, enabling Coherent to achieve these remarkable productivity gains. This advanced equipment is designed to support the transition from 800G to 1.6T products, a key requirement to meet the growing demands of AI interconnects and optical communications.

“We have been the leading supplier of InP plasma etch equipment to the datacom market, and Coherent, for many years. Our technology, with the quality, throughput and reliability that we have developed alongside excellent service, is ideally positioned to support the current device demand inflection we are seeing with the release of generative AI applications. We are delighted to be partnering with Coherent during this exciting period of market expansion and look forward to continuing to develop and release innovative and valuable plasma processing solutions.” Matt Kelly, Managing Director, Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology.

"Coherent’s move to 6-inch InP wafer fabrication marks a transformative milestone for the industry. Oxford Instruments’ expertise in plasma processing has been essential in enabling our Sherman and Järfälla fabs to reach world-class performance,” said Dr. Beck Mason, Executive Vice President – Semiconductor Devices at Coherent. “Together, we are advancing InP technology to support faster networks, greater efficiency, and the new applications that will define the future of connectivity."

The joint efforts of Oxford Instruments and Coherent have culminated in a manufacturing platform that sets the stage for the next generation of InP optoelectronic devices. These devices are critical enablers for applications ranging from AI datacentres and datacom transceivers to advanced sensing in consumer electronics and automotive technologies.

• Read more about Enabling AI with Fully Automated Equipment for 6” InP Wafer Processing

• Read more about ElevATE Semiconductor Expands Global Presence with New Office in Hsinchu, Taiwan

Nijmegen, October 20, 2025 – Chip Integration Technology Center (CITC) will become part of TNO. This strategic move marks a significant step toward ensuring the long-term continuity and stability of CITC’s research and operations. The integration emphasizes TNO’s ambition to take a leading position in the innovation of chip packaging technologies and strengthen the regional semiconductor ecosystem in Nijmegen.

“In the coming years, TNO aims to play a key role in the development of advanced chip packaging in the Netherlands,” says Arnaud de Jong, director of High Tech Industry at TNO. “By integrating CITC into TNO, we can intensify and expand our research efforts. We also contribute to the further development of Lifeport in Nijmegen as a strong, future-proof semiconductor ecosystem.” With the investment in CITC, TNO connects chip technology activities between Nijmegen and other semiconductor hubs such as Eindhoven.

Advanced chip packaging
CITC was founded in 2019 by TNO and Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), among others, as an independent innovation center for advanced chip packaging technology. Within an ecosystem of companies, research institutions and educational organizations, CITC has developed into a broad R&D hub that collaborates on technological breakthroughs in advanced chip packaging.

“CITC’s integration into TNO marks a noteworthy moment for CITC. This step underscores our shared vision for the future of chip integration and packaging technology,” says Jeroen van den Brand, general manager of CITC in Nijmegen. “This provides room for growth, accelerates innovation, and strengthens CITC’s international position as a center of expertise for chip packaging.”

Strategic choice for Nijmegen
CITC’s integration into TNO will formally take effect on January 1, 2026. CITC will become part of TNO’s High Tech Industry business unit and will remain located at the Noviotech Campus in Nijmegen. Toni Versluijs, chairman of the CITC Supervisory Board: “CITC continues on its current course. For the Supervisory Board, it is essential that, with TNO’s ambition and investment, we secure continuation of the CITC activities, while building on the existing talent and technology and give CITC room to grow further.”

Lucas van Vliet, member of the CITC Supervisory Board on behalf of TU Delft: “The collaboration between TU Delft and TNO within CITC will change form as of January 1 but remains as strong as ever. TU Delft believes in the importance and growth potential of chip packaging and sees incorporating CITC into a strong organization like TNO as an opportunity to further accelerate innovation in chip technology.”

- ENDS -

About CITC
CITC is a non-profit, joint innovation center specializing in heterogeneous integration and advanced chip packaging technology. With the aim of bridging the gap between academia and industry, CITC has created an effective ecosystem where companies, research and educational institutions collaborate. CITC was founded in 2019 with strategic partners TNO and Delft University of Technology and is supported by the province of Gelderland and Nijmegen municipality. Located on Noviotech Campus Nijmegen, CITC is perfectly situated in the heart of the Dutch semiconductor industry.
www.citc.org

About TNO
TNO is the largest independent research and technology organization in the Netherlands and one of the largest in the EU. We innovate, investigate, and orchestrate, collaborating closely with governments, universities and the private sector. We inform government on policies and empower evidence-based decision-making through rigorous investigations, cutting-edge scientific insights, and reliable measurements. By building national and international consortia and ecosystems, we drive technological and methodological breakthroughs that help to realise a secure, sustainable, healthy, and digital society, and strengthen the earning power of the Dutch economy.
www.tno.nl/en/

Contact
Christian Ketelaars, Communications Manager
E [email protected]
M +31 (0)6 48 15 42 92

• Read more about CITC becomes part of TNO: boost for chip packaging in Nijmegen

Breker Donates Advanced Test Suite Components to RISC-V International for Use in Future Compliance Activities

• Donation includes open-source system integrity tests for core and SoC certification
• Unique Breker tests complements existing test sets
• Breker’s RISC-V SystemVIP will be demonstrated at booth #P4 during RISC-V Summit North America 2025

SAN JOSE, CALIF. –– October 16, 2025––Breker Verification Systems today announced a donation to RISC-V International of a subset of its RISC-V advanced test suite developed through its work with more than 20 RISC-V core producers.

The donation is designed to be complementary to the existing Architectural Compliance Test (ACT) and ongoing ISA compliance activities, consisting of unique tests not available from other sources.

Breker provides test suites for the complete verification of RISC-V cores and SoCs from detailed microarchitectural analysis to advanced system integrity validation. The radonation will consist of a subset of these tests to target ISA compliance. The test donation will cover both core and SoC certification and will include, but is not limited to, coherency, hypervisor, vectors, advanced interrupt architecture, IOMMU and other scenarios. Each component is designed to complement existing tests.

“Breker is now working with over 20 commercial entities and other organizations to verify their RISC-V cores, providing us with unique experience of the myriad of unusual verification issues inherent in these processors,” says David Kelf, Breker’s CEO. “We are giving back to the RISC-V community by providing a subset of these tests, open source, that can target ISA compliance and for other purposes.”

The announcement of the donation coincides with the RISC-V Summit North America Tuesday, October 21, through Thursday, October 23, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, Calif. As a Platinum Sponsor, Breker will exhibit in Booth #P4 and offer five presentations as part of the RISC-V Summit program.

“At RISC-V International, we greatly value the expertise of the Breker team and the contributions they have made to ongoing ISA compliance work,” remarks Andrea Gallo, RISC-V International’s CEO. “I am looking forward to Breker’s donation and the impact it can have in complementing and extending our existing ACT test suites.”

Breker’s donation provides alignment with RISC-V International programs. This will provide value to the company’s customers, as well as the RISC-V designer community, by aligning Breker’s full RISC-V verification test suite with RISC-V test developments.

In addition to existing test suites and generators, which are focused on random instruction generation for instruction set architecture testing, with SystemVIPs, Breker has been able to significantly extend testing to advanced system-level integrity. Using test suite synthesis technology, Breker is able to provide a high degree of coverage by driving cross functional stress verification and unpredictable corner case discovery. The donation will include tests generated using test suite synthesis.

David Kelf and Adnan Hamid, Breker’s Executive President and CTO, were elected Chairperson of the Requirements Working Group and Vice-Chairperson of the Test Plan Working Group, respectively, in the RISC-V International Certification Steering Committee.

Breker at RISC-V Summit North America 2025
Breker will demonstrate its RISC-V CoreAssurance and SoCReady SystemVIPs and Trek Test Suite Synthesis solutions at RISC-V Summit North America, Tuesday, October 21 through Thursday, October 23, at the Santa Clara Convention Center.

Presentations featuring Breker executives include:
Member Day: “Framework for RISCV Certification—Software, Hardware and Systems”
Nambi Ju, Lyle Technologies, LLP
Tuesday at 4 p.m. in Grand Ballroom H (Level 1)

Demo: “RISC-V AIA Expanding Interrupts: Applications, Implementation and Verification”
Adnan Hamid
Wednesday at 1 p.m.
Exhibit Hall A, Demo Theater

“RISC-V System Level Certification from Verification Foundations”
Adnan Hamid
Wednesday at 3:15 p.m.
Theater (Level 2)

Lightning Round: “Leveraging AI to understand the RISC-V ISA Specification”
Dave Kelf and Nambi Ju
Wednesday at 4:15 p.m.

“Unleashing ML Processing Power Through RISC-V Vectors: Applications, Implementation and Verification”
Brian Baker, Solutions Architect
Thursday at 2:35 p.m.
Grand Ballroom G (Level 1)

To arrange a demonstration or private meeting, send email to [email protected].

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/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrekerSystems/

TrekSoC, TrekSoC-Si, RISC-V CoreAssurance SystemVIP and RISC-V SoCReady SystemVIP are registered trademarks of Breker Verification Systems. Breker Verification Systems acknowledges trademarks or registered trademarks of other organizations for their respective products.

• Read more about Breker Donates Advanced Test Suite Components to RISC-V International for Use in Future Compliance Activities

Via Automation Debuts Agentic AI-Based Platforms for Smart Manufacturing at SEMICON West

• Set to revolutionize semiconductor manufacturing operations, paving the way for self-healing factories and resilient supply chains
• Demos of Via Connect and Via Co-Pilot available during SEMICON West October 7 to October 9 in Booth #7438
• Via Automation “Developing Explainable Digital Twins and Connecting to Via CoPilot Agents for Autonomous Tool Operations” at Smart Manufacturing Theater

FREMONT, CALIF.––September 23, 2025––Via Automation today unveiled Via Connect and Via Co-Pilot, Agentic AI-based platforms that combine edge data integration with AI-driven human collaboration to revolutionize enterprise manufacturing operations and pave the way for self-healing factories and resilient supply chains.

Demonstrations of Via Connect and Via Co-Pilot will be available during SEMICON West October 7 to October 9 at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Ariz.

“Predictive maintenance isn’t just about preventing breakdowns, it’s about enhancing yield and enabling smarter, safer and more efficient industrial operations,” remarks Nitin Parekh, CEO at Via Automation. “With Via Connect and Via Co-Pilot, enterprises can move beyond pilot projects into scalable, trusted and ROI-positive predictive maintenance programs.”

Introducing AI-Powered Industrial Automation
Unplanned equipment downtime cost manufacturers more than $1.5 trillion globally per year, a problem that grows more expensive annually. The cost of a single hour of downtime has surged by 50% in just two years.

Via Automation’s Via Connect and Via Co-Pilot powers real-time, AI-driven decisions across the factory floor, enhancing efficiency, optimizing operations, reducing unplanned downtime, elevating performance across all areas.

Via Connect
Traditional solutions rely on dashboards and complex visualizations that don't solve the root problem. Via Connect seamlessly offers data integration at the edge by acting as the digital fabric between assets, IoT sensors and enterprise systems. Via Connect can be connected into digital twin models to provide holistic monitoring capabilities as a software development kit (SDK) for equipment vendors to integrate with their equipment.

With its edge-ready processing capabilities, Via Connect can detect low-latency anomalies directly at the factory floor and integrates with manufacturing execution systems (MES), enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and cloud platforms including AWS, Azure and Databricks using out-of-the box connectors.

For predictive maintenance, it ensures unified data collection of real-time vibration, temperature and process signals streamed from machines and IoT endpoints. Using Via Connect, predictive models can access clean, contextualized data without integration bottlenecks, one of the biggest hurdles in scaling predictive maintenance initiatives.

Via Co-Pilot
Where Connect enables data orchestration, Via Co-Pilot elevates operational intelligence, acting as a decision assistant to unite humans with AI tools for smarter decision making.

Via Co-Pilot turns predictive maintenance from a “black-box algorithm” into a trusted co-worker—accelerating adoption and building operator confidence by providing AI-Driven insights for warnings of equipment degradation using machine learning models trained on sensor data. Its diagnostics are easily explainable, interpretable and highlight root causes, such as bearing wear or lubrication breakdown. It enables collaborative workflows for engineers, operators and managers to interact with AI that delivers recommendations, validate insights and trigger automated work orders

It also offers continuous learning opportunities with its feedback loops that improve model accuracy over time and adapt to new operating conditions.

Via Automation can AI enable any equipment or fab with Via Connect and Via Co-pilot. An intuitive interface gives manufacturing teams the ability to build and deploy custom workflows without deep AI expertise and focus on keeping their equipment running smoothly and efficiently.

Early results show that Via Connect and Via Co-Pilot together reduce unplanned downtime by between 30-40% and maintenance costs by between 15-20%. They extend asset life by about 25% and improve operator safety and compliance reporting.

Via Automation at SEMICON West October 7-9 in Phoenix, Ariz.
Via Automation will exhibit and demonstrate its Connect and Co-Pilot at SEMICON West in Booth #7438 Tuesday, October 7, through Thursday, October 9, at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Ariz.

Kiran Karunakaran, Via’s CTO, will present “Developing Explainable Digital Twins and Connecting to Co-Pilot Agents for Autonomous Tool Operations” Wednesday in the Smart Manufacturing Pavilion Theater.

To arrange a demonstration or private meeting, send email to [email protected].

About Via Automation
Via Automation is a pioneering technology company that specializes in creating advanced automation solutions designed to optimize and transform fab operations for advanced semiconductors. Leveraging cutting-edge AI and machine learning technologies, it develops intuitive, scalable and robust tools aimed at enhancing productivity, efficiency and data-driven decision-making. Via Automation’s commitment to innovation and customer-centric solutions make it a leader in the fab and equipment automation space, driving progress and operational excellence for improving operations and maintenance with AI.
Engage with Via Automation at:
Website: Getvia.ai/
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/getvia/

For more information, contact:
Nanette Collins
Public Relations for Via Automation
[email protected]

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