Materials Analysis Technology Inc (MA-tek, 閎康) yesterday said it is experiencing strong demand for its advanced burn-in testing services from leading global artificial intelligence (AI) chip developers, including Nvidia Corp.
MA-tek, which specializes in materials analysis and failure and reliability testing for semiconductor firms and equipment manufacturers, has secured more than 10 projects for high-end chip testing, company chairwoman Hsieh Yong-fen (謝詠芬) said.
The company is expanding its client roster for ultra-high-power burn-in testing to include Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD), Intel Corp, Amazon.com Inc, Google and Meta Platforms Inc, Hsieh said.
Photo: Chen Mei-ying, Taipei Times
To meet rising demand, the company has invested NT$100 million (US$3.39 million) in new equipment, which has been installed at its lab in Hsinchu, she said.
The new projects are expected to begin contributing to revenue by the end of this year at the earliest, she said, adding that they would help boost the company’s revenue in the second half to surpass the first half.
MA-tek reported revenue of NT$2.11 billion for the first five months of the year, an annual growth of 3.4 percent.
Burn-in testing is a reliability assessment for integrated circuits, in which devices are exposed to elevated temperatures and ultra-high voltages over an extended period. The process accelerates the detection of early failures, allowing manufacturers to identify and eliminate weak or defective components, thereby improving product reliability.
In April, Hsieh said that due to the technological complexity involved, it takes more than six months for new orders to begin generating revenue, significantly longer than traditional burn-in testing timelines.
Hsieh also said that Taiwan is poised to become one of the world’s most important providers of such ultra-high-power burn-in testing services, citing the sector’s high entry barriers in capital investment and analytical capabilities.
MA-tek in April introduced its most advanced analytical tool — a Cs-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope — to provide advanced material and failure analysis services for contract chipmakers, as well as advanced chip packaging and testing.
The new equipment is intended to support customers in accelerating the mass production of 2-nanometer chips.
The microscope, which costs US$5 million — about three times more than conventional equipment — offers ultra-high resolution, making it particularly suited for analyzing AI and vehicle chips, the company said.
Shareholders yesterday approved a cash dividend of NT$7 per common share, the lowest in three years.
The company attributed the reduced dividend to a heavy investment cycle over the past three years, which it expects would begin delivering returns from this year.
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