“We serve the vast majority of customers in the optoelectronics and semiconductor industries, with the company on a rapid growth trajectory. Notably, our optical chip testing equipment is utilized by 80% of optical communication enterprises in China." On the eve of the opening of the 20th OVC EXPO in "China Optics Valley", Ma Chao, the General Manager of Wuhan Precise Electronics Co., Ltd., took advantage of the intervals between several meetings to accept an exclusive interview with a reporter from the Yangtze River Daily.”

As China's only vertically integrated "Little Giant" enterprise (specialized and sophisticated SMEs) in optical communication equipment, PRECISE has 15 years of experience in the semiconductor testing sector. Its independently developed third-generation semiconductor testing system has covered high-voltage and high-current testing of materials such as silicon carbide and gallium nitride, serving leading customers such as Huawei and ZTE.

Relocation Ceremony of Wuhan Precise Electronics Co., Ltd. & the Wholly-Owned Subsidiary Wuhan Precise Instrument Co., Ltd.

‌In May 2024, PRECISE inaugurated its high-end optoelectronic chip R&D and production base, accelerating the "domestic substitution" of laser and semiconductor testing equipment. This milestone reinforces China's critical progress toward semiconductor supply chain autonomy.

As the 20th OVC EXPO approaches, PRECISE's journey epitomizes how China Optics Valley has evolved from chasing technological frontiers to illuminating the global stage.

China’s First "Hidden Champion" in Independently Developed Digital Source Meters

‌From its early days focused on R&D and domestic substitution of foundational optical communication instruments, PRECISE has evolved into a comprehensive system provider spanning optoelectronics and third-generation semiconductor solutions. With a "decades-long forging of the sword" philosophy, the company has achieved critical breakthroughs in semiconductor testing equipment. Its independently developed third-generation semiconductor wafer testing system has been put into large-scale application in leading domestic enterprises, and has embarked on an innovative path from basic research and development to industry leadership. ‌

The fully automatic robotic arm can accurately grasp micro-optical chips and complete the integrated operation of test power supply access and power detection in just 1 microsecond. As early as more than a decade ago, this kind of detection could only rely on foreign equipment.

‌The fully automated robotic arm can accurately grasp micro-optical chips, completing integrated power supply connection and power detection within 1 microsecond—a task that could only be performed using imported equipment a decade ago.

PRECISE Engineers Executing a "Physical Examination" on the Chip

"Can't we research, develop and produce by ourselves?" ‌Harnessing this unwavering drive, Professors Huang Qiuyuan and Zhou Peng of Wuhan University of Technology set their sights on optoelectronic test instruments and production line test solutions, determined to pioneer China's own high-end optoelectronic testing systems. In 2009, PRECISE became the first company in China to independently develop optoelectronic performance test instruments and digital source meters for semiconductor materials, chips and devices.

In 2011, the company's first generation of products was launched and quickly attracted the attention of the market.

"You only needed to buy one device, and it was unnecessary for engineers to write algorithms. People without technical background could also use it easily. The price was 1/4 of that of an imported device, but the efficiency could be increased by 5 times." Ma Chao recalled.

Since then, PRECISE has taken the lead in independently developing an integrated BOSA device comprehensive test system, a high-precision benchtop digital source meter, and launched a variety of one-stop electrical performance test instruments such as narrow pulse current source and integrated card-type source meter, gradually covering 80% of domestic optical communication enterprises and successfully achieving domestic substitution.

Relying on technological accumulation and market expansion, PRECISE has been rated as a national "specialized and sophisticated SMEs", and has achieved breakthroughs in the sector of semiconductor testers, gradually extending to the general semiconductor market.

Reaching an Order Cooperation at the OVC EXPO

As an "Industry Business Card" of Optics Valley, the OVC EXPO is an important platform for PRECISE to demonstrate its technical strength and expand the market. The first participation in the exhibition can be traced back to 6 years ago.

"At the last OVC EXPO, our semiconductor test equipment and optical communication products were ordered on-site by customers." Ma Chao said, “The advantage of the OVC EXPO is that it focuses on the sub-sectors of optoelectronics, and relying on the dense industrial chain and university resources in Optics Valley, which can effectively promote the integration of industry, university and research.”

This is also one of the magic weapons that PRECISE uses to seize the market opportunity. "We face the challenge of rapid technology iteration with a model of R&D and pre-research of one generation." Ma Chao introduced that, PRECISE "walks on two legs" to maintain forward-looking: on the one hand, the company deeply connects with the industry's leading customers, and works closely with system integrators and optical module leading companies such as Huawei and ZTE to explore future potential needs; on the other hand, it establishes industry-university-research cooperation with universities and laboratories such as Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan University of Technology, and China University of Geosciences to drive the practical implementation of academic breakthroughs.

Taking silicon photonics technology as an example, PRECISE has collaborated with universities to develop optical instruments such as polarization control and detection. After two years of dedicated efforts, technical challenges of the project have been overcome, and the relevant technology has entered the industrialization phase. "The complementary combination of universities' educational resources and enterprises' engineering capabilities has been crucial to our rapid breakthroughs in overcoming technical barriers." Ma Chao said.

Looking ahead, PRECISE plans to build upon its three existing product platforms to expand into the broader general semiconductor market.

At the 20th OVC EXPO, PRECISE will present a number of new products, including 800G high-speed module test solutions, 1.6T BERT and sampling oscilloscopes with higher bandwidth and higher speed. In addition, there are new products that meet the market demand under the rapid development of AI, such as high-voltage and high-current test instruments for third-generation semiconductors, demonstrating PRECISE's technical strength in the transformation from the optoelectronic market to the semiconductor market.

High-speed Module Test Solutions

1.6T Three-temperature BERT

DCA Sampling Oscilloscope