Cymer - World's Top Supplier of Light Sources Critical in Chipmaking - Sets New Industry Record With 2000th Shipment
Milestone Highlights Cymer's Continuing Technology Leadership
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Cymer, Inc. (Nasdaq: CYMI - news), the world's leading supplier of excimer light sources used in semiconductor manufacturing, today announced that it has achieved a major milestone with the shipment of its 2000th excimer light source for DUV lithography applications. Cymer reports that the landmark shipment of its DUV light source, an ELS-6010, was to a leading lithography manufacturer, which is expected to integrate Cymer's light source into a lithography tool that, upon installation in a chipmaking facility, will be used for the production of next-generation devices with 0.13-micron design rules. Of the nearly 2,000 light sources already installed at chipmakers to date -- representing the combined total of all light source manufacturers -- more than 1,550 are Cymer's.
According to VLSI Research Inc., a Silicon Valley-based market research firm, Cymer's longevity and leadership in this market can be attributed to the company's ongoing dedication to research and development over its 15-year history. ``Cymer's critical light source products serve as a foundation for virtually every leading chipmaker in the world. As an industry leader that is consistently at the forefront of innovation, Cymer is extremely well positioned to expand its role through new light source applications within the overall semiconductor industry,'' said Dan Hutcheson, VLSI Research's CEO.
Beginning in 1995, photolithography tool integrators and semiconductor manufacturers started to anticipate the eminent need for production-worthy DUV photolithography light sources -- sparking demand for Cymer's lasers. Having aggressively invested in R&D since its inception in 1986, Cymer was poised to meet this demand and subsequently developed the global support infrastructure to support it, which ultimately helped drive the company's growth and unit shipments. And even now, amidst one of the worst downturns the industry has ever experienced with capacity purchases at near-zero levels, Cymer reports that it is seeing growing demand for its latest, highest value-add products, the ELS-6010 and NanoLith(TM) 7000 -- driven by chipmakers' need for leading-edge equipment that will enable their shift to smaller critical dimensions.
Stanley T. Myers, president and CEO of SEMI (the international industry association for the semiconductor and flat panel display equipment and materials market), noted, ``Cymer's milestone shipment demonstrates our industry's continued strong demand for the advanced technology solutions enabling the progression of Moore's Law. Cymer is one of several players in the lithography arena whose contributions have been instrumental in further advancing our industry's ability to produce the next-generation devices that power today's advanced electronics products. We congratulate Cymer on its milestone achievement.''
In addition to this milestone, Cymer has recently shipped its newest breakthrough light source -- the NanoLith 7000. The NanoLith product line is the latest example of Cymer's commitment to future-ready technologies. Designed for next-generation lithography applications at the 193nm wavelength, the NanoLith 7000 boasts a repetition rate of 4kHz, the industry's highest, and enables production of devices with 0.10-micron and smaller geometries. The shipment of the NanoLith 7000 closely follows Cymer's inaugural shipment of its recently introduced CymerOnLine e-diagnostics solution. CymerOnLine is the industry's first lithography light source-specific e-diagnostic and performance monitoring software for remote analysis and support of Cymer light sources.
Commenting on the milestone, Bob Akins, Cymer's chairman and CEO, noted, ``It's rewarding to play such an enabling role in the global electronics supply chain. Our DUV light sources are helping to enable chipmakers worldwide to commercially manufacture advanced chips with features of 0.25 micron and below -- the chips found in almost every advanced consumer electronic product on the market today. And while we're extremely pleased with our 2000th shipment, our focus is firmly on the future -- working toward further augmenting our technology portfolio and business and product strategies, along with furthering our push toward operational excellence.''
Today, Akins will celebrate the milestone shipment with employees at Cymer's San Diego campus. Along with focusing on what the milestone shipment means to Cymer, Akins is expected to highlight what this industry-first means to the global semiconductor industry at large. As one of San Diego's top five technology companies*, Cymer invites local press to the event, which will include a facility tour, opportunity to speak with top company executives and photo opportunity. Those media interested in attending should contact Marie Labrie of MCA at 650-968-8900.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical in nature are forward-looking statements. These statements include, but are not limited to, references to Cymer's light sources serving as the foundation for virtually every leading chipmaker in the world; Cymer being consistently at the forefront of innovation and being well positioned to expand its rose within the overall semiconductor industry; Cymer seeing growing demand for its latest products, driven by chipmakers' need for leading-edge equipment that will enable their shift to smaller critical dimensions; the industry's continued strong demand for advanced technology solutions enabling the progression of Moore's Law; and Cymer working toward further augmenting its technology portfolio and business and product strategies, and furthering its push toward operational excellence. These statements are only predictions based on current information and expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in such statements due to various factors, including but not limited to: the demand for semiconductors in general, and, in particular, for leading-edge devices with smaller geometries; the rate at which semiconductor manufacturers take delivery of photolithography tools from the company's customers; delays or cancellations by customers of their orders; new and enhanced product offerings by competitors; the timing of customer orders, shipments and acceptances; inability by the company to meet its production and/or product development schedules; inability of the company to secure adequate supplies of critical components for its advanced products; and failure by the company to manage its expense levels and unanticipated expenses. For a discussion of these and other factors which may cause our actual events or results to differ from those projected, please refer to the company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, as well as other subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Cymer, Inc. is the world's leading supplier of excimer laser illumination sources, the essential light source for deep ultraviolet (DUV) photolithography systems. DUV lithography is a key enabling technology, which has allowed the semiconductor industry to meet the exact specifications and manufacturing requirements for volume production of today's advanced semiconductor chips. Further information on Cymer may be obtained from the Company's SEC filings, the Internet at cymer.com or by contacting the company directly.
According to San Diego Business Journal's list of San Diego's largest public companies, based on 2000-year revenue.
SOURCE: Cymer, Inc. |
