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Technology Stocks : Cymer (CYMI) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: ScotMcI who wrote (23199)	10/11/1999 11:32:00 AM
From: FJB	Respond to of 25960

Cymer Taps One of World's Top Lithography Experts from Hewlett-Packard to Lead New Division Nigel Farrar Appointed Director of Lithography Applications SAN DIEGO, Calif., October 11, 1999?Cymer, Inc. (Nasdaq NM: CYMI), the world's leading supplier of illumination sources essential for deep ultraviolet (DUV) photolithography, today announced that it has appointed one of the semiconductor industry's leading lithography experts, Dr. Nigel Farrar, formerly of Hewlett-Packard, Palo Alto, Calif., to serve as director of lithography applications - a new department created to expand Cymer's understanding of the critical factors involved in the lithography process. In his new role, Farrar will lead Cymer's efforts to better understand chipmaker requirements which are essential for Cymer to develop and deliver cost-effective, value-added light source solutions. As part of this effort, Farrar will work closely with Cymer's four wavelength product development teams to ensure that the company's current and next-generation light source solutions coincide with semiconductor industry roadmaps. Commenting on Farrar's appointment, Dr. Richard Sandstrom, vice president and chief technical officer for Cymer, noted, "With more than 15 years of experience in advanced lithography and process development, Nigel brings a unique perspective to our strong team of laser and semiconductor equipment experts. In fact, Cymer employs over half of the world's top experts in microlithography laser light source technology - signaling our efforts to continuously strengthen our leadership position in this dynamic market." Sandstrom added, "Nigel's extensive background as an end-user of lithographic equipment will be instrumental in helping Cymer augment its understanding of customers' next-generation lithography requirements well into the next century. Key to this effort, Nigel will work closely with customers worldwide to ensure that our existing and next-generation light sources deliver the superior resolution capabilities and reliable performance necessary for device geometries to move below the sub-quarter micron threshold." Prior to joining Cymer, Farrar spent 15 years at Hewlett Packard, most recently serving as a project scientist for the company's ultra large scale integration (ULSI) laboratory. In this role, he was responsible for developing the advanced lithography technology strategy for both equipment and processes within the lab. This included the evaluation and selection of DUV lithography equipment and materials for HP's advanced integrated circuit process development. Prior to this, Farrar served as a process engineer for HP's ICBD technology development center. In this role, he led a team which introduced DUV lithography within HP's wafer fabrication facilities for the production of devices with 0.25 micron design rules. Before joining HP in 1984, Farrar was a member of the technical staff for Raychem Corp., in Menlo Park, Calif. Farrar earned a bachelor's degree in physics and a Ph.D. in physics of materials from the University of Bristol, England. He has authored numerous papers on DUV lithography and holds several patents in the areas of materials science. Farrar is a member and periodic speaker/conference chair for several industry association-sponsored lithography conferences and workshops. Cymer, Inc. is the leading provider of excimer laser illumination sources, the essential light source for deep ultraviolet (DUV) photolithography systems. DUV lithography is a key enabling technology, which has allowed the semiconductor industry to meet the exact specifications and manufacturing requirements for volume production of today's advanced semiconductor chips. Further information on Cymer may be obtained from the company's SEC filings, on the Internet at cymer.com

To: ScotMcI who wrote (23199)	10/11/1999 3:14:00 PM
From: ScotMcI	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 25960

DRAM Sold Out, OEMs Put On Allocation By Jack Robertson, Electronic Buyers' News Oct 11, 1999 (3:33 AM) URL: techweb.com For the first time in recent memory, DRAM from most major vendors has been placed on allocation, a clear sign to customers that the four-year era of ample supply and swooning prices has for now drawn to a close. Micron Technology Inc. last week broke the ice by uttering the "A" word, telling Wall Street investors that it is sold out of DRAM for the fourth quarter. And a number of other DRAM producers have placed OEM customers on allocation following the market's sudden U-turn from the oversupply situation that just this summer fed rivers of low-cost chips into the OEM channel. Of the leading DRAM makers polled by EBN, only Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., the largest global producer, shied away from claims of allocated supply. Avo Kanadjian, senior vice president of memory marketing at the company's U.S. subsidiary, Samsung Semiconductor Inc., San Jose, said the sudden tight supply has spooked the market so much that using the term allocation "only can increase the panic." Kanadjian said the DRAM market is under pressure from so many conflicting factors that at present, "it is difficult to get a clear picture." Nevertheless, during a conference call last week to financial analysts to report its quarterly earnings, Don Baldwin, vice president of Micron Technology, Boise, Idaho, said the company "is on allocation across the board on all its memory products¥128-Mbit and 64-Mbit DRAMs, flash, and SRAMs. We're forced to turn away a large amount of business, and most of the other DRAM manufacturers are doing the same." As the shortage continues, contract OEM prices are rising and are now above $10 for mainstay 8 X 8 64-Mbit DRAMs, up from $9 just a week ago and $4.50 in July. Spot-market prices have gone out of sight, although they have begun to level off at $19 to $20 for those 64-Mbit configurations in highest demand. Lisa Dreher, memory product manager at Kingston Technology Co., a Fountain Valley, Calif., module maker, said, "DRAM allocation is likely to be short-lived as manufacturers ramp to full capacity and complete die shrinks. However, looking ahead, we may see some real allocation in the DRAM market next year." For PC OEMs used to stuffing their boxes with DRAM capacities that would have required a second mortgage during the pre-glut years, the lack of fourth-quarter availability represents a marked change, even if suppliers did serve some advance notice. "We were warning our customers for two months that the industry would be on allocation in the fourth quarter because of demand rapidly closing the gap with supply," said Jamie Stitt, manager of DRAM marketing at Toshiba America Electronic Components Inc., Irvine, Calif. "We're not surprised, and expect allocations to continue into the first quarter of 2000." Jim Sogas, director of business operations at the DRAM division of Hitachi Semiconductor (America) Inc. in San Jose, said the current DRAM shortage should continue for another month before the industry is in full allocation mode. "But regardless of what you call it, the OEM customers know they're now on allocation," he said. "Every DRAM product across the board is sold out."