24 July 2025
Smiths Interconnect has announced the launch of its latest advancement — the DaVinci Gen V test socket. This cutting-edge component is designed to provide ultra-reliable and high-precision testing for semiconductor chips essential to the development of artificial intelligence, 6G communications, and advanced computing technologies.
The DaVinci Gen V plays a vital role in the manufacturing process by rigorously evaluating semiconductor chips to ensure they deliver consistent and dependable performance. These chips are foundational to a wide array of modern applications, including AI accelerators, automotive systems, and the upcoming global rollout of 6G networks.
Addressing two core challenges in the industry — impedance tuning and signal integrity — the DaVinci Gen V represents a significant leap forward in semiconductor testing technology. Impedance tuning, which optimizes signal transfer, and signal integrity, which measures the quality of electrical signals as they traverse circuits, are critical for the performance of next-generation devices. With this new socket, Smiths Interconnect offers manufacturers enhanced speed, reliability, and compatibility — key ingredients for pioneering technological advancements.
Designed to keep pace with the rapidly evolving landscape of integrated circuits, the DaVinci Gen V supports unprecedented high-speed data transmission, reaching up to 224 Gbps using PAM4 signalling for AI applications and exceeding 100 GHz for 6G communications. These capabilities are vital for managing the surging volumes of data transfer required by modern systems. Additionally, it accommodates the increasing complexity of contemporary integrated circuits, supporting a 40% growth in the size of next-generation ASICs—powerful chips that integrate multiple circuits into a single ‘system on a chip.’
Anticipating the rapid progression of semiconductor technology — where bandwidth and computational power are doubling approximately every two years — the DaVinci Gen V is built with future-proofing in mind. Its seamless integration with existing testing hardware allows manufacturers to upgrade without extensive overhauls, reducing development cycles and speeding time-to-market.
