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KLA-Tencor Receives Funding From NIST ATP To Develop Advanced Optical Wafer Inspection Technology For Sub-70 Nm Devices
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SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov. 7, 2000-KLA-Tencor Corp. (Nasdaq: KLAC), in partnership with Tropel Corporation and Carnegie-Mellon University, has been selected by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to receive funding from NIST's Advanced Technology Program to develop advanced wafer inspection technology for next-generation lithography (NGL) applications at the 70-nm and 50-nm nodes. Valued at approximately $13.7 million, the funding will be used to develop the technology necessary for an optical patterned wafer inspection tool capable of detecting defects as small as 35 nm with a throughput up to 18 times faster than that of existing optical wafer inspection tools.

According to the 1999 International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS), production of 70-nm devices will begin in 2008. NGL, which is expected to play a key role in enabling chipmakers to achieve this goal, will require early access to new wafer inspection technologies to detect the extremely small defects that will impact the quality and integrity of the wafer at these geometries. To accelerate bringing these advanced inspection capabilities to market, KLA-Tencor has begun a three-year program with Tropel and Carnegie-Mellon University to develop the optical wafer inspection technology that has the resolution, throughput and cost-of-ownership advantages to make the production of integrated circuits (ICs) with 70-nm and smaller feature sizes a reality.

"Cost-effective and high-throughput wafer inspection is necessary in order for semiconductor manufacturers to maintain economically viable yields in their advanced fabs and maintain their competitive edge," stated K. Bala, senior vice president at Texas Instruments. "TI has worked closely with KLA-Tencor for a number of years as we progressed through previous device generations. We look forward to the advent of this new wafer inspection technology, which will help us to rapidly move to the 70 nm device generation and beyond."

KLA-Tencor is the established leader of the worldwide market for wafer inspection, having designed and launched the first automated patterned wafer inspector almost 20 years ago. According to market research firm VLSI Research, the wafer defect inspection market is expected to grow from $745 million in 1999 to more than $3.8 billion in 2005.

"KLA-Tencor strongly supports the NIST ATP program, which has made significant contributions to the development of the high-tech industry," stated Dennis Ralston, director of business development at KLA-Tencor and manager of the Advanced Wafer Inspection for Next Generation Lithography Program. "We are confident that this program will result in the development of a new wafer inspection solution that will enable chipmakers to stay on track with the semiconductor roadmap and make it both economically and technologically feasible for them to quickly ramp up 70-nm device production. This step is critical in driving continued advances in communications, computing and consumer electronics."

NIST's Advanced Technology Program provides cost-shared funding for high-risk research and development projects with the potential to spark important, broad-based economic benefits for the U.S. ATP support accelerates potentially important R&D projects that, on their own, could not be fully supported within their respective industries due to the technical risks involved. ATP awards are made on the basis of a rigorous competitive review considering the scientific and technical merits of each proposal and its potential benefits to the U.S. economy.

"This R&D program is part of our ongoing effort to push the boundaries of optical wafer inspection in order to provide our customers with technologically advanced and innovative yield acceleration solutions," added Ralston.

About NIST: As a non-regulatory agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce's Technology Administration, NIST strengthens the U.S. economy and improves the quality of life by working with industry to develop and apply technology, measurements and standards through four partnerships: the Advanced Technology Program, the Measurement and Standards Laboratories, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership and the Baldrige National Quality Program.

About KLA-Tencor: KLA-Tencor is the world leader in yield management and process control solutions for semiconductor manufacturing and related industries. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., the company has sales and service offices around the world. An S&P 500 company, KLA-Tencor is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol KLAC.

Contact:
Meggan Powers
Director Corporate Communications

 

 

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