Ultratech Introduces New Breakthrough Broadband Stepper Lens; 1X lens designed for the full range of Ultratech's served markets
Business Wire - July 12, 1999 08:44
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 12, 1999--Ultratech Stepper, Inc. (Nasdaq NM:UTEK), a leading supplier of photolithography systems used to manufacture semiconductors, micromachining devices and thin film heads (TFH) for disk drives, today announced the introduction of a breakthrough broadband 1X stepper lens. The new lens -- the first of its kind capable of exposing both g-line and i-line photosensitive films on the same stepper -- is designed to meet the varied lithography needs for a number of Ultratech's served markets.
Heightened demand for a versatile system fueled the development of Ultratech's latest stepper lens which will be featured at SEMICON West 99. Key to the success of the lens is its utilization of Ultratech's 1X technology that will broaden the process development capabilities and manufacturing options in these arenas, while reducing overall costs.
The combination of the g-line and i-line spectrums in a single lens offers customers a practical and cost-effective alternative to their resist processing requirements, according to Ultratech's president and chief operating officer, Daniel Berry. "Until recently, customers were forced to chose between one spectrum or the other in their efforts to contain escalating equipment costs. The resultant lack of process flexibility caused chipmakers to seek a more efficient tool that could accommodate multiple processes. The new Ultratech exclusive broadband lens eliminates this difficult trade-off by providing the flexibility to run both thick g-line and thin i-line resist processes on the same stepper," stated Berry.
Among the unique features of the lens is a high wafer plane irradiance that results in low exposure time and increased throughput at high dose exposures. In addition, the lens design has multiple field-size configuration options -- 44 mm x 22 mm for mix-and-match with Ultratech's reduction steppers, 34 mm x 26 mm for mix-and-match with new step-and-scan photolithography tools, and 50 mm x 25 mm for very large exposure area applications. The lens also offers an elevated degree of process latitude with 2.0-micron resolution and more than 5.0-micron usable depth of focus.
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Certain of the statements contained herein may be considered forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, such as the dependence on new product introductions and commercial success of any new products, risks associated with introducing new technologies, the cyclicality in the thin film head and semiconductor industries, thin film head competition, lengthy sales cycles for the company's systems, pricing pressures, the mix of products sold, delays, deferrals and cancellations of orders by customers, manufacturing inefficiencies and absorption levels, ability to volume-produce systems and meet customer requirements, integration and development of the UltraBeam and Verdant operations, inventory obsolescence, adjustments relating to the potential change in accounting for the ISI acquisition, the failure to develop and commercialize the ISI products, delays in collecting accounts receivable, extended payment terms, economic and political conditions in Asia and changes in technologies. Such risks and uncertainties are set forth in the company's SEC reports, including the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 1998, and its Form 10Q for the period ended March 31, 1999.
About Ultratech: Founded in 1979, Ultratech Stepper, Inc. designs, manufactures and markets photolithography equipment used worldwide in the fabrication of integrated circuits, micromachining devices, thin film heads for disk drives and photomasks for the semiconductor industry. The company produces products that substantially reduce the cost of ownership for manufacturers in the electronics industry. The company's home page on the World Wide Web is located at ultratech.com
CONTACT: Ultratech Stepper, Inc.
Laura Rebouche, 408/321-8835
Fax: 408/577-3379
email: lrebouche@corp.ultratech.com
or
MCA
Jane Evans-Ryan, 650/968-8900
Fax: 650/968-8990
email: jryan@mcapr.com
|
