Flanders, N.J., August 29, 2000 (PRIMEZONE) -- Rudolph Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:RTEC) today announced that two major semiconductor manufacturers in Japan have placed multi-million dollar orders for Rudolph's suite of 300mm metrology tools, including both the Company's MetaPULSE(R) 300mm copper film metrology systems and its recently released MatrixMetrology(TM) 300mm transparent film systems.
The customers will use the tools to support advanced process development for 300mm semiconductor production requirements at manufacturing sites in Japan. The tools are scheduled for shipment in the third and fourth quarters of 2000. These tools utilize Rudolph's award winning Vanguard platform, which gives a semiconductor device manufacturer the ability to standardize on one common automation platform while addressing both transparent and opaque thin-film metrology requirements.
"These are the first two customers to implement our common-platform solution, which encompasses both our metal and transparent measurement technologies in a 300mm production environment," said Paul F. McLaughlin, Rudolph's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We are particularly pleased that these orders strengthen our penetration into the just-developing 300mm market and further substantiate our belief that we are continuing to gain share in the transparent film metrology market."
Rudolph's MetaPULSE family of copper tools simultaneously measures five or more metal layers on 200mm and 300mm product wafers. This exclusive technology uses a non-contact, non-destructive measurement technique based on laser-induced ultrasound. This enables semiconductor manufacturers to improve their yields and control the process challenges of copper metallization. The Company also produces MetaPULSE tools to measure aluminum films on 200mm and 300mm wafers.
MatrixMetrology S200 and S300 systems are part of Rudolph's transparent film family of measurement tools, which incorporate advanced ellipsometry and reflectometry technologies. MatrixMetrology tools offer an application-optimized set of metrology techniques that deliver robust pattern recognition, industry-leading measurement speed and unparalleled thin-film measurement repeatability. The benefits to customers include lower cost of operation and superior metrology performance. MatrixMetrology tools, when combined with other Rudolph metrology systems, are designed to provide customers with a flexible full-fab line of metrology solutions for transparent and opaque thin film measurement, all built on the Company's award-winning Vanguard automation platform.
Rudolph Technologies is a worldwide leader in the design, development, manufacture and support of high-performance process control metrology systems used by semiconductor device manufacturers. The Company provides a full-fab solution through its families of proprietary systems for both transparent and opaque thin film measurement. Rudolph's product development has successfully anticipated and addressed many emerging trends that are driving the semiconductor industry's growth. The Company's success in creating complementary metrology applications through aggressive research and development is key to Rudolph's strategy for continued technological and market leadership.