PDF Solutions Wiki

PDF Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: PDFS) is a U.S.-based software and services company specializing in advanced data analytics for the semiconductor and electronics industries. The company offers solutions to improve yield, quality, reliability, and time-to-market across the semiconductor manufacturing lifecycle—from design to in-field operation.

PDF’s platforms combine sensor-based data collection, machine learning algorithms, and cloud-native analytics to provide actionable insights to semiconductor IDMs, foundries, OSATs, and fabless companies.

Founded

• Year: 1991

• Headquarters: Santa Clara, California, USA

Core Business Areas

1. Design-for-Inspection (DFI®) and Design-for-Analysis (DFA)

   • Technologies that embed analytics hooks into silicon for faster failure analysis and yield learning.

   • Often used in advanced nodes (e.g., 5nm, 3nm) and for automotive-grade reliability.

2. Exensio® Platform

   • A cloud-based, enterprise-wide data analytics platform used by leading semiconductor companies for:

     • Manufacturing analytics

     • Test data analytics

     • Equipment monitoring

     • In-field analytics (through connected devices)

3. Data Collection & AI

   • Integration of data from process tools, testers, and on-chip sensors.

   • ML/AI engines provide predictive insights into yield loss, test escapes, and field failures.

4. Smart Manufacturing

   • PDF Solutions supports smart factories via predictive maintenance, wafer traceability, and production optimization.

Customers and Partners

PDF Solutions serves a broad customer base across the semiconductor value chain, including:

• Foundries: TSMC, GlobalFoundries, UMC (as inferred from industry sources)

• IDMs: Intel, Samsung, Texas Instruments

• Fabless: Qualcomm, AMD, Nvidia

• OSATs: ASE Group, Amkor, JCET

• Automotive: Tier 1 suppliers and OEMs using its analytics for functional safety

Notable partnership:

• In 2020, PDF Solutions partnered with Siemens Digital Industries Software to integrate Exensio® into Siemens’ EDA ecosystem.

Technology Differentiators

• DFI Technology: Allows real-time detection of nano-scale defects that traditional inspection tools may miss.

• Exensio Cloud-Native Architecture: Scalable and secure, with real-time dashboarding for manufacturing and test.

• AI/ML Pipeline: Continuously trained with multi-source data to offer predictive analytics at wafer, lot, and fleet levels.

• Edge Analytics: On-chip agents deliver diagnostics for in-field monitoring of chips (e.g., automotive and datacenter deployments).

Leadership (as of 2025)

• John K. Kibarian – Co-Founder, President & CEO

• Adnan Raza – CFO

• Kimon Michaels – EVP, Products & Solutions; Co-Founder

The leadership team has deep expertise in semiconductor physics, design automation, and data analytics.

Financials

• 2024 Revenue: ~$170 million

• 2025 Estimate: Analysts project revenue in the $180–190M range, driven by growth in analytics adoption and automotive applications.

• Profitability: Consistently GAAP-profitable in recent years, with strong recurring software revenues.

• R&D Spend: Over 20% of revenue, highlighting a focus on innovation.

Global Presence

• R&D and Field Offices: North America, Europe, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, China

• Strong support network embedded in foundry and OSAT ecosystems in Asia.

Industry Relevance

PDF Solutions plays a critical role in:

• Yield ramp acceleration for advanced nodes (N5, N3, 18A, etc.)

• Root-cause analysis for functional test escapes

• Automotive quality standards like ISO 26262 and AEC-Q100 via in-field analytics

• Heterogeneous integration and chiplet testing, where traditional inspection tools fall short

Strategic Outlook

PDF Solutions is well-positioned for growth as:

• AI chips, chiplets, and advanced packaging require new analytics paradigms

• Automotive electronics and functional safety demand in-field data insights

• Semiconductor companies adopt cloud-native smart manufacturing solutions

The company aims to remain the backbone of “silicon lifecycle analytics”, bridging design, manufacturing, test, and field reliability.