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Ultratech announces new Saturn stepper series
new family of i-line tools built on the proven Saturn platform targets cost effective lithography solutions for a host
of advanced applications
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 8, 1997-- Ultratech Stepper Inc , a leading supplier of photolithography systems used to
manufacture semiconductors and thin film heads (TFHs) for disk drives, today announced three new i-line lithography systems based on the company's
most advanced product platform, the Saturn wafer stepper(R).
Designed to optimize lithography operations for a host of applications, the new Saturn I, Saturn II and Saturn III steppers incorporate specific features
to help chipmakers achieve their technical goals while reducing the cost of their critical lithography program.
According to Ultratech's Senior Vice President of Sales, Service and Marketing Dan Berry, the new Saturn family will provide chipmakers with the
flexibility to select the i-line stepper that best suits their application and budgetary requirements while ensuring that they receive the benefits of a proven
platform that has been optimized for highly productive, reliable and low cost operation. Berry asserts that this cost/productivity benefit will become
increasingly critical as the semiconductor industry enters its next phase of growth.
Each system in the Saturn series features a robust platform, simplified optics and a large field size that can mix-and-match with both leading edge 5X
steppers and advanced step-and-scan systems. Resolution and overlay specifications differ with each tool, allowing customers to select the lithography
capability that best meets their requirements. The most advanced system in the new series, the Saturn III, enables 0.65 micron resolution -- the tightest
resolution commercially available in a wide field mix-and-match stepper.
Applications for the new tools include mix-and-match for advanced i-line processes including dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) production
and primary lithography processing down to 0.65 micron for high volume, low cost ICs such as automotive and telecommunication devices. In
addition, the new Saturn tools may be used in advanced micromachining applications.
Commenting on the market need for these tools, Berry indicated that chipmakers across multiple industries and applications need low cost lithography
solutions that also meet their specific application requirements. "Our new Saturn stepper family enables our customers to leverage the Saturn's
field-proven product platform, while only paying for the specific features they require. No other supplier can currently offer this kind of flexibility and
maintain the cost of ownership and productivity benefits for which Ultratech is known," stated Berry.
The Saturn series features dual alignment and throughput options to ensure maximum flexibility. The tools are available with either a traditional wafer
alignment system (WAS) or Ultratech's pattern recognition-based machine vision system (MVS), which is designed to match other alignment
strategies. Each system offers a high throughput option of 100 wafers per hour (wph).
Each tool within the Saturn family offers specific performance features. The Saturn I, designed for mature fabs, provides 1.0 micron resolution and
alignment capability of 120 nm. The Saturn II, aimed at the production of 16- and 64-megabit DRAMs, features 0.8 micron resolution and alignment
of 90 nm. The Saturn III, targeted for mix-and-match with step-and-scan lithography systems in 0.35 to 0.25 micron processes, can expose a full
step-and-scan field in one exposure. The system features 0.65 micron resolution and alignment of 80 nm.
For companies adding to their existing installed base, Ultratech has ensured that all three new Saturn systems are backward compatible with prior
generation Ultratech steppers. The Saturn family's common platform is designed to address future 300 mm needs.
The Saturn stepper series will be available starting in the second half of 1997.
Note to Editors: "Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Except for historical information, the matters
discussed in this news release that may be considered forward-looking statements may be subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause
the actual results to differ materially from those projected, including uncertainties in the market, the timely development and acceptance of new
products and upgrades, pricing competition, procurement and manufacturing efficiencies, and other risks detailed from time to time in the company's
SEC reports. The company assumes no obligation to update the information in this release.
About Ultratech: Founded in 1979, Ultratech Stepper Inc. designs, manufactures and markets photolithography steppers used worldwide in the
fabrication of semiconductor and thin film heads for disk drives. The company produces high-technology products that substantially reduce the cost of
ownership for manufacturers in the electronics industry. Ultratech's common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol UTEK.
CONTACT: Ultratech Stepper Inc.
Scott Zafiropoulo, 408/577-3116
or
MCA Inc.
Terry Anderson, 415/968-8900 |
