Surplus Global to offer new chip testing service for foundry 

Secondhand fab equipment seller Surplus Global said on Thursday that it will offer a service for foundry companies to test their new chips.

With the service, called R&D Foundry, the company will offer to manufacture 12-inch thin-film test wafers and prototype evaluations for customers.

Surplus Global was currently installing a piece of 12-inch wafer equipment at its 100 class cleanroom, which already houses thermal and plasma oxide equipment, inspection equipment for particles and test equipment to measure electric characteristics.

The aim of the service was to save customers time and money that they spend on testing.

The company will spend 20 billion won in the first phase of investment to offer the service. It plans to spend more in the following second and third phases of the investment.

The service will go live between June and July. Surplus Global CEO Bruce Kim said wafers for thermal and plasma testing will start being made in July.

The company also plans to manufacture tungsten wafers at a later date as well, the CEO said.

Surplus Global with up to five companies who are showing interest in the service, Kim added.

Meanwhile, the company had also begun offering a distribution service for components used in fab equipment.