Smiths Interconnect launches ‘DaVinci Gen V’ next-gen test socket

The product rigorously tests semiconductor chips during the manufacturing process to ensure they provide unwavering reliability and repeatable performance. This is important because these chips are integral to many applications essential to everyday life, including AI accelerators, automotive systems, and the forthcoming global deployment of next-generation 6G communication networks.

The DaVinci Gen V solves two fundamental industry challenges: impedance tuning, an essential part of circuit design that enables maximum transfer of signal power, and signal integrity, the measurement of quality of an electrical signal as it travels through a circuit. Offering a significant advancement in semiconductor testing, the DaVinci Gen V provides the improved speed, reliability and compatibility essential for developing next-generation technologies.

Brian Mitchell, Vice President of Smiths Interconnect’s Semiconductor Test Business Unit, said: "This innovation empowers semiconductor manufacturers to test faster, more reliably, and with greater precision – ensuring their products meet the demands of AI, 6G, and next-generation technologies. More than just a product, DaVinci Gen V embodies Smiths Interconnect’s commitment to advancing semiconductor testing through continuous innovation."

Manage increasing speed and complexity

DaVinci Gen V delivers breakthrough high-speed signal transmission performance. It enables unprecedented digital signalling speeds of up to 224Gbps PAM4 for AI accelerators and beyond 100GHz for 6G communications. These speeds are crucial for supporting the growing demand for massive data transfer.

The product also supports the growing complexity of modern integrated circuits, accommodating a 40% increase in the size of next-generation ASIC (application specific integrated circuits). ASICs are powerful computer chips that accommodate several different circuits to deliver a ‘system on a chip’.

Future-proof design    

Next-generation integrated circuits continue to evolve, doubling in bandwidth and computational power every two years, so the DaVinci Gen V is designed with this in mind. It offers seamless integration and maintains full compatibility with existing test hardware, allowing manufacturers to transition effortlessly, reduce development cycles, and accelerate time-to-market.