I think you mean Thermawave became part of Nanometrices. If so, that answers a mystery for me. As for the metrology offering for both Nanometrics and Thermawave combined, I have to admit that makes a pretty could niche offering. Thermawave is a tool used to hopefully verify that an implant took place while the NANO tools are both CD tools and Film thickness analyzers. I will need to research if this alliance occurred. To its credit, NANO did add the OSI (Optical Specialties) technogoly for CD measuring to its stable while also making some nice in roads into the Pacific Rim (Japan especially) for the 300mm programs. A cursory look shows them with good earnings and profits.
Getting involved in this company may payoff but there may be stronger candidates out there. Promterix makes mighty fine equipment and I rate it above most of the NANO offering. Then you have Opal(AMAT) and a few other CD (Critical Dimension) metrology vendors that I have more confidence in than NANO. Funny thing is that with the increase in the number of Implant levels, I cannot think of a competitor to Thermawave if that is who they took over. Now I have homework to do.<GGG>
Your comments make me think of another tool, though, in an application that I haven't considered. AGAI makes an RTP system (Rapid Thermal Processing) that is not a metrology tool but a process tool to process ultra-thin films. I think their competitor fell under the wing of MTSN (Peak Twechnology).We haven't discussed the RTP arena. Actually, if the truth be known, we are not giving enough mindshare to the AGAI, MTSN, GSNX type companies that factor into the newer technologies. Problem is that they are small and could be swept under by the big boys if they wanted to. however, each has an outstanding non competitive (with each other and few others) product that would take an effort by the big boys to displace. This makes them takeover targets down the road as the get pressure from the costs associated with 300mm programs and the Asian Crisis. As a matter of fact, I have an idea that sound wild but should be considered.
Brad Mattson of Mattson Technology(MTSN) is ex-AMAT (I think even ex co-founder). If he were to approach the following companies, among others, to form a merged consortium to compete with the NVLS, LRCX, SVGI, AMAT types, he would have a killer company:
CFMT, YILD, AGAI, MTSN, GSNX, GGNS, FSII - Cleaning, implant, resist strip, RTP, chemical delivery, etc. It's not as weird as you may think. Combining some of these together might be beneficial for all.
Andrew |
