Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT) announced that Advantest Corporation will join its EPIC platform as an innovation partner to connect front-end semiconductor manufacturing with back-end testing processes.

Advantest has established a new Innovation Center at Applied Materials' research and development campus in Silicon Valley, which will connect with Applied's EPIC Center. The collaboration aims to integrate chip manufacturing processes, in-line metrology and inspection, and device testing.

"Applied Materials designed the EPIC platform to dramatically accelerate the commercialization of next-generation semiconductors by co-locating and co-innovating with our customers and partners," said Gary Dickerson, President and CEO of Applied Materials. "By collaborating side-by-side with Advantest, we can develop solutions that enable chipmakers to optimize end-to-end semiconductor production flows and bring new designs to market faster and more efficiently."

Doug Lefever, Representative Director and Group CEO of Advantest Corporation, said establishing the Innovation Center alongside Applied's EPIC Center allows the companies to collaborate and develop testing methodologies for next-generation devices.

Applied's EPIC (Equipment and Process Innovation and Commercialization) Center represents what the company describes as the largest U.S. investment in advanced semiconductor equipment research and development. The facility is scheduled to become operational in 2026.

Advantest's Innovation Center occupies a dedicated area of Applied Materials' Silicon Valley campus and includes laboratories and research facilities for developing integrated solutions for complex semiconductors.

The partnership targets the development of solutions for artificial intelligence and high-performance computing chips, as well as 3D advanced packaging technologies, according to the company's press release statement.