Zeev,
I am in the medical field, if it catches on it will be huge.
This will allow CYMI to increase it's technology lead, the competition will have to offer the same deal.
Recent Technological Breakthroughs Allow Greater Chipmaker Cost Efficiencies
SAN DIEGO, Nov. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Cymer, Inc. (Nasdaq: CYMI), the world's
leading supplier of excimer laser illumination sources essential for deep
ultraviolet (DUV) photolithography, today announced a program aimed at
reducing chipmakers' cost to operate Cymer's lasers. The program, which is
part of Cymer's ongoing effort to support its installed base and improve
efficiency, is a result of a series of recent technological breakthroughs as
well as continuous improvement engineering verified by field data obtained
from Cymer's installed base of over 500 excimer lasers in production
worldwide. This initiative, combined with Cymer's proven machine dependent
laser uptime of 98 percent in mass production, clearly demonstrates Cymer's
global leadership position in the DUV laser market.
Under the program, extended lifetime warranties will be offered to Cymer
customers for all major components of its ELS-5000, EX-5000 and the newly
released ELS-5010 krypton fluoride (KrF) lasers. The new warranties
immediately apply to all existing 5000 Series lasers in the field and to all
5010 Series lasers shipped after November 1, 1998. In addition, Cymer is
offering customers the opportunity to upgrade their existing 5000 Series
lasers to a lower cost of operation model 5005 laser through the purchase of
upgrade kits. The upgrade allows customers to utilize common spare parts
between the 5005 and the 5010 and extends warranties and expected lifetimes on
the 5005 to equal those of the 5010. This program is designed to reduce
chipmakers' cost of operation by as much as 45 percent.
"For chipmakers, reducing operating costs has become increasingly
critical, especially in today's difficult economic environment," said Pascal
Didier, Cymer's senior vice president of worldwide customer operations. "With
the newly introduced ELS-5010, Cymer continues to make technological
breakthroughs in the laser's core modules, like the new high efficiency
chamber, allowing us to increase expected lifetimes and thereby reducing
chipmakers' cost of operation. The development and production of the upgrade
package was a natural extension of these achievements as we strive to support
and improve our existing tools the field."
With respect to the ELS-5010 lasers shipped after November 1, 1998,
chamber expected lifetime will increase from 3 to 5 billion pulses, line
narrowing module expected lifetime will increase from 3 to 6 billion pulses
and the wavelength stabilization module expected lifetime will increase from
5 to 10 billion pulses.
"Cost reductions can be achieved either through revolutionary technology
breakthroughs or by extending the capability of existing tools," added Didier.
"Cymer's worldwide service and support organization is committed to both and
will continue to meet customer requirements with technology-based value-added
solutions."
Cymer, Inc. is the world's leading supplier of excimer laser illumination
sources, the essential light source for deep ultraviolet (DUV)
photolithography systems. DUV lithography is a key enabling technology that
has allowed the semiconductor industry to meet the exact specifications and
manufacturing requirements for volume production of today's most advanced
semiconductor chips. Further information on Cymer may be obtained from the
Company's SEC filings, the Internet at cymer.com or by contacting
the Company directly.
SOURCE Cymer, Inc.
-0- 11/02/98
/CONTACT: Marie Burke, Director, Investor Relations, 619-618-5232, or
fax, 619-618-3090, or Leslie Cole, Sr. Corp. Communications Manager,
619-451-7149, or fax, 619-618-3035, both of Cymer, Inc.; or Terry Anderson,
Account Manager of MCA, Inc., 650-968-8900, or fax, 650-968-8990/
/Web site: cymer.com
(CYMI)
CO: Cymer, Inc.
ST: California
IN: MTC
SU: PDT
DO-PQ
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