Varian Semiconductor Awarded Control System Patent
Enables Simplified Factory Automation and Productivity Improvement
GLOUCESTER, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 21, 2002--Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc. (Nasdaq: VSEA - News), the leading supplier of ion implantation systems, today announced that it has been issued U.S. Patent Number 6,374,144 for a "Method and Apparatus for Controlling a System Using Hierarchical State Machines."
The patent covers Varian Semiconductor's control system, known as VCS, for VIISta ion implantation systems.
The Varian Control System (VCS) executes, monitors, controls and records the state of many independent operations utilizing the VIISta single wafer ion implantation platform in order to ensure high quality implanter performance in semiconductor manufacturing facilities. VCS also enables e-diagnostic capabilities where the ion implanters in the field can communicate data back to Varian Semiconductor's manufacturing facility and also enables remote control and testing of field systems by VSEA experts.
Alan Sheng, Ph.D., Varian Semiconductor's vice president of engineering, commented, "The Varian Control System is another example of our ongoing research and development efforts to improve our customers costs of ownership advantages. The e-diagnostics capability of VCS improves maintenance efficiency, equipment effectiveness, process results and fab productivity."
About Varian Semiconductor
Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates is the leading producer of ion implantation equipment used in the manufacture of semiconductors. The company is headquartered in Gloucester, Massachusetts, and operates worldwide. Varian Semiconductor maintains a web site at www.vsea.com. The information contained in the company's web site is not incorporated by reference into this release, and the web site address is included in this release as an inactive textual reference only.
Note: This release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For this purpose, the statements concerning the company's expectations regarding the invention discussed in this release, market share and technology leadership, technological capabilities and benefits are forward-looking statements and any statements using the terms "believes," "anticipates," "expects," "plans," or similar expressions are forward-looking statements. There are a number of important risks and factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those suggested or indicated by such forward-looking statements. These include, among others, volatility in the semiconductor equipment industry; economic conditions in general and as they affect the company's customers; significant fluctuations in the company's quarterly operating results; the impact of rapid technological change; the company's dependence on the development and introduction of new products; the company's concentration on ion implantation systems and related products; concentration in the company's customer base and lengthy sales cycles; the highly competitive market in which the company competes; risks of international sales; foreign currency risks; and general economic conditions; and other factors identified in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, and the most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company cannot guarantee any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievement. The company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release. |
