To All:
Applied Materials Introduces Advancement in Reticle
Inspection Technology; New RT-8000ES Reticle
Inspection System Delivers EnhancedSensitivity for Next
Generation Applications
Source: Business Wire
YAVNE, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE) via Individual Inc. -- Applied Materials, Inc. announces the
Orbot RT-8000ES, a new reticle inspection system that extends the performance of the company's
RT-8000 technology to meet the sensitivity, productivity and reliability demands of the
0.25-micron, 256Mb generation of semiconductor devices.
"This powerful new system puts us at the forefront of advanced reticle inspection technology," said
John Hoffman, president of the Orbot division of Applied Materials' Process Diagnostics and
Control Group. "We expect to rapidly expand our already growing position in the market as
customers realize the unique technology and productivity provided by this system."
According to VLSI Research, the reticle inspection market was $213 million in 1996 and is expected
to grow to $674 million by 2001 for a forecasted compound annual growth rate of 26 percent.
Reticle inspection is critical to the performance and yield of advanced semiconductors. Since the
reticle's pattern is projected by lithographic equipment to form the circuit pattern in each layer of an
integrated circuit, the reticle's precision determines the accuracy of the circuit. As semiconductor
geometries shrink, the size of critical defects on the reticle decreases, making defect detection
increasingly difficult.
The RT-8000ES utilizes a variety of enhancements to its hardware and software to increase defect
detection sensitivity to industry-leading levels. Defects can be detected on the most advanced
reticles, including those using Optical Proximity Correction (OPC) and phase-shift technologies.
"Applied Materials' goal is to rapidly commercialize Orbot's advanced mask inspection
technologies. We are investing $26 million in a new technology development and manufacturing
facility in Israel. And with the company's global sales and support resources behind us, we will be
able to expand our presence to reach many customers that aren't currently familiar with our
product's advanced capabilities," Hoffman said. "The RT-8000ES product is the first of many
exciting technology advances in reticle and wafer inspection that we plan to introduce over the next
several years."
The RT-8000ES system, available early in 1998, combines new image acquisition technology with
new detection algorithms to resolve smaller defects and further minimize false defect detection. Data
conversion and rendering on the new system is considerably faster than the earlier RT-8000 system.
With the system's DataExpress(TM) module, pattern data conversion time is reduced and high
throughput is maintained for all mask types, regardless of data density.
The RT-8000ES system also offers LineWidth Error Detector (LWED) algorithms to detect very
small linewidth variations on the reticle down to 0.15m. This advancement both assists with
detection of misplaced and improperly sized features such as lines and contacts, and enhances
detection of edge defects.
Applied Materials plans to introduce the new system to customers at the 17th Annual BACUS
Symposium on Photomask Technology and Management to be held at the Hotel Sofitel in Redwood
City, California, September 17-19, 1997.
Applied Materials, Inc. is a Fortune 500 global growth company and the world's largest supplier of
wafer fabrication systems and services to the global semiconductor industry. Applied Materials is
traded on the Nasdaq National Market System under the symbol, "AMAT." Applied Materials' web
site is appliedmaterials.com .
CONTACT: Applied Materials | Betty Newboe, 408/563-0647 (editorial/media) | Carolyn Schwartz,
408/748-5227 (financial community)
[09-05-97 at 08:05 EDT, Business Wire] |
