Nanometrics Incorporated
(Nasdaq: NANO), a leading supplier of advanced process control metrology
systems used primarily in the manufacturing of semiconductors, solar photovoltaics
and high-brightness LEDs as well as advanced wafer-scale packaging, today announced
that is has received an order for multiple Atlas XP metrology systems equipped
with NanoCD(TM) capability. The systems are expected to be qualified in the
third quarter of this year at a leading semiconductor manufacturer. The systems
will be installed with Nanometrics' scalable NanoGen cluster computing
solutions to enable analysis of the most critical and complex process steps
in an advanced technology node, supporting both film thickness and optical critical
dimension (OCD) metrology.
“The challenges of leading edge semiconductor manufacturing methods have
pushed many conventional technologies aside and require that the measurement
of thin film thickness, profiles and device geometries occur directly on complex
structures,” commented Bill McGahan, Director of OCD Technology Development
at Nanometrics. “Additionally, the rapidly changing process environment
necessitates a system and software solution to support robust recipe development.
By combining the full NanoCD suite, including our NanoDiffract(TM) software,
NanoGen cluster computing solutions and Atlas XP metrology systems, our customer
has a path to accurate and precise process monitoring in a dynamic and rapidly
evolving development line.”
With this deployment, Nanometrics now has OCD solutions in every segment of
the fab including lithography, etch, chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) and
thin film deposition, and across all device types including logic, DRAM, flash
memory, and magnetic heads spanning the 65nm to 22nm nodes.
Nanometrics is a leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of high-performance
process control metrology systems used primarily in the manufacturing of semiconductors,
advanced wafer-scale packaging, solar photovoltaics and high-brightness LEDs,
as well as by customers in the silicon wafer and data storage industries. Nanometrics
standalone and integrated metrology systems measure various thin film properties,
critical dimensions, overlay control, topography, and optical, electrical and
material properties, including the structural composition of silicon, compound
semiconductor and photovoltaic devices, during various steps of the manufacturing
process, from front end of line substrate manufacturing through die preparation
for advanced packaging. These systems enable device manufacturers to improve
yields, increase productivity and lower their manufacturing costs. The company
maintains its headquarters in Milpitas, California, with sales and service offices
worldwide. Nanometrics is traded on NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol NANO.
Nanometrics' website is http://www.nanometrics.com.