The Advanced Mask Technology Center GmbH & Co. KG (AMTC) has awarded the title “Supplier of the Year” to Vistec Semiconductor Systems GmbH. Vistec scored highest in a Supplier Evaluation conducted by AMTC from June 2005 through November 2006.
In its Supplier Evaluation System (SES), officially introduced in 2006, the AMTC evaluated 13 tool vendors, three software providers, and one blank supplier. The business partners were rated in the categories Purchasing, Engineering, Technology, Environment/Security/Health and Management Profile. On the basis of a gap analysis AMTC’s expectations of the individual suppliers were matched against the actual outcome, resulting in a catalogue of measures negotiated between the AMTC and each supplier to improve weak points identified through the SES.
Vistec Semiconductor Systems GmbH supplies AMTC with metrology tools which are used to measure the position of structures on a photomask. The latest metrology tool delivered to AMTC features a measurement accuracy of 3 nm and was qualified at AMTC for 2.3 nm even.
"Vistec is honored to receive AMTC’s recognition for our mask metrology solutions. This award confirms the success of our long-term collaboration with AMTC. We are looking forward to working together on developing the next tool generation with further improved measurement performance," stated Gerhard Ruppik, General Manager of Vistec Semiconductor Systems. "Close collaboration with our customers assures we can supply innovative solutions for upcoming technology nodes."
Tokyo Electron Ltd. and the KLA-Tencor Corporation, supplying Developing and Inspection tools respectively, came second and third in the ranking.