Novellus Systems Selects New AquaTran 7 Robot From Brooks Automation for Sabre Copper Electrofill Tool
CHELMSFORD, Mass., May 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Brooks Automation, Inc. (Nasdaq: BRKS - news; ''Brooks''), a leading supplier of tool and factory automation solutions for the semiconductor and flat panel display (''FPD'') industries, today announced that it has received multiple-unit orders for its new AquaTran(TM) 7 atmospheric robot from Novellus Systems.
The AquaTran 7 will be used as the central wafer handling robot in Novellus' Sabre(TM) xT Copper Electrofill tool. Leveraging Brooks' proprietary direct drive robot technology and time optimal motion
control, Novellus states that the selection of the AquaTran 7 is the result of a successful nine-month collaborative development program with Brooks Automation.
According to John Chenault, executive vice president of Novellus' Metals Group, ''We selected the AquaTran 7 because of its clearly superior reliability, throughput performance and our long term
relationship with Brooks Automation. Brooks' innovative design, direct drive technology and motion control expertise offered us significant throughput and cost of ownership advantages.''
''Brooks is extremely proud to be selected for this strategic, high growth copper opportunity,'' said Michael Pippins, Vice President of Brooks Automation. ''AquaTran 7 offers the industry very high tool
uptime combined with very high throughput and productivity. Novellus' selection of this robot for its Sabre tool highlights our continuing emergence into the atmospheric wafer handling market, where we are
systematically gaining market share with industry leaders,'' added Pippins.
AquaTran 7 is a 4-axis wafer handling robot for use in wet processing environments at atmospheric pressure. The product incorporates many features of Brooks Automation's industry-leading MagnaTran 7 vacuum robot, including a direct drive architecture and DSP motion control. Continuous rotation capability of the theta axis offers a significant throughput benefit. AquaTran 7 also offers the following advanced features: high-speed flip wrist, vacuum grip, cassette mapping, and off-center pick/place, a special feature which allows curved trajectories, smaller tool footprints and lower cost. AquaTran 7 is designed for key advanced applications such as copper deposition, CMP and cleaning systems.
The Novellus Sabre system is used for depositing copper onto 200 and 300mm wafers. Sabre delivers a complete electrofill solution for volume production of 0.13 micron copper interconnects.
AquaTran 7 deliveries to Novellus are expected to begin this quarter.
About Novellus Systems
Novellus Systems Inc. manufactures, markets and services advanced automated wafer fabrication systems for the deposition of thin films. Novellus deposition systems are designed for high-volume production of advanced, leading-edge semiconductors at the lowest overall cost. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., with subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Netherlands, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan, Novellus is a publicly traded company on the Nasdaq stock exchange (Nasdaq: NVLS - news).
About Brooks Automation
Brooks Automation Inc. is a leading supplier of factory automation solutions for the global semiconductor, data storage, and flat panel display manufacturing industries. As an established market leader in hardware and software automation, Brooks continues to pioneer best-in-class technologies that outperform their competitors -- from vacuum and atmospheric robots, cluster tool platforms and modules
-- to factory and tool automation software and integration services. Both OEM and fab customers leverage Brooks' automation technologies to maximize factory-wide equipment productivity in dynamic manufacturing environments. Based in Chelmsford, MA, Brooks Automation has direct global operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore.
''Safe Harbor'' Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The foregoing discussion contains forward-looking statements relating to the expected benefits of the new AquaTran 7
product. These statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, risks relating to the Company's dependence on the cyclical semiconductor industry, the
Company's dependence on relatively few customers for a significant portion of its revenues, the Company's reliance on sales to OEM customers and the lengthy sales cycles of those customers, the
ability of the Company to continue to successfully develop and market new products and product enhancements on a timely basis, the highly competitive nature and rapid technological change that characterize the industries in which the Company competes, and other risks and uncertainties described in the Company's reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result, there can be no assurance that the Company's future results will not be materially different than those projected. The forward- looking statements contained herein speak only of the Company's
expectations as of the date of this press release. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statement to reflect any change in the Company's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
For further information, contact: Michael Pippins, Vice President, 978-262-2607, fax, 978-262-2500 or Ellen Richstone, Chief Financial Officer, 978-262-2600, fax, 978-262-2500, both of Brooks Automation, Inc.; or Van Negris, or Philip J. Denning, both of Kehoe, White, Van Negris & Company, Inc., 212-396-0606, fax, 212-396-9025
SOURCE: Brooks Automation, Inc.
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