Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

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

To: Candle stick who wrote (15445)	3/5/1998 10:30:00 AM
From: FJB	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 25960

RE:"Once we achieve this, we look to reach the next milestone of the program, which is the integration of our X-ray source with an X-ray stepper to create a functional X-ray lithography workstation Seems like JMAR is YEARS away from any type of commercial SALE of this point-source. And of course, such a sale would only occur IF they could prove this LOW-POWER source is not a PROBLEM. I don't believe they will be able to correct this PROBLEM. DARPA is wasting our money damn it!!! AGAIN. Please write your congresspeople everyone. Thanks.

To: Candle stick who wrote (15445)	3/5/1998 10:48:00 AM
From: MRothaus1	Respond to of 25960

Both you and Robert Grutza are missing the point on JMAR and Cymer. It even said in the JMAR release that they are working on commercially viable production rates OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS! JMAR's disk drive inspection systems are the immediate, short-term earnings engine. JMAR is making money unrelated to what Cymer is doing, and it appears that they are about to make a ton of money too (86% earnings growth is not too shabby). That is why I have insisted time and again that JMAR and CYMER are NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE INVESTMENTS!!! Cymer has DUV locked up today and at commercially viable PRODUCTION rates today. Maybe in 2004 or 2005, you guys can start arguing the merits of DUV vs X-RAY point source. Until that time, JMAR may have customers that don't want a synchotron, but can't use DUV either because of very specialized requirements. Those aren't Cymer's customers anyway. In the meantime, I'll be happy getting rich from both Cymer and JMAR for the next few years.

To: Candle stick who wrote (15445)	3/5/1998 1:15:00 PM
From: Bookdon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 25960

Both DARPA and IBM have been down this path before (several times), without a commercial x-ray product resulting. It's a "cover all bases" strategy, just in case optical techniques do run out of gas (as predicted every two years for the last 10 years). There are several unresolved problems, not the least of which is "where do you get 1 X masks for x-ray at 0.13 microns, when you can't yet get 4 X reticles for this generation. Current commercial mask-making technology only allows features on the mask at about 0.4 microns (minimum dimension). Since you can't buy commercial masks, anyone who uses x-ray will need to open a captive mask shop, at a potential additional cost of $50 million o $100 million. This is NOT going to be a simple "put it in the catalog and sell it" kind of product. Any possible profits from an x-ray stepper are out at least 5 years (as has always been the case). Don't bet on this one too soon. Anyone remember the Bowmar Brain?