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Politics : Formerly About Applied Materials -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: orkrious who wrote (31828)	8/11/1999 10:44:00 AM
From: Gottfried	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 70976

Jay and all, here's link biz.yahoo.com If anyone has more details on 'slowdown in bookings' please post. Gottfried

To: orkrious who wrote (31828)	8/11/1999 11:49:00 AM
From: Proud_Infidel	Respond to of 70976

AMAT related since AMAT acquired Obsidian: ******************************************* Obsidian to use Luxtron's endpoint detection system in CMP tool A service of Semiconductor Business News, CMP Media Inc. Story posted 11 a.m. EST/8 a.m., PST, 8/11/99 FREMONT, Calif.--Obsidian Inc. here said it will use an endpoint detection system from Luxtron Corp. to control the polishing of wafers in its fixed-abrasive, chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) tool. Luxtron's Optima 9000 in situ system enables CMP tools to detect changes in thin-film materials as it polishes the surface of wafers flat between process steps. This detection capability is expected to be critical in copper processes, which require tight control of metal-line thickness. Obsidian, a Silicon Valley startup, is in the midst of being acquired by Applied Materials Inc. for about $137 million in stock (see June 1 story). The Luxtron system processes multiple signals from sensors in real time to detect minute changes on the wafer that indicated transitions from one layer of film to another as the wafer is polished. Luxtron, based in Santa Clara, Calif., uses a proprietary window-triggering algorithm, signal conditioning and analysis software to perform endpoint detection. "Repeatable performance, metal line thickness control and yield are enhanced because of the accuracy provided by the Optima series Model 9325," said Kathleen A. Perry, chief technical officer of Obsidian. "The reliable detection of the transition between copper and barrier films is key to process control for copper CMP." seminews.com