News | July 3, 2008

HamaTech Ships 30th MaskTrack System, The Photomask Cleaning System Of Choice For 45nm Advanced Processes And Beyond

STERNENFELS, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HamaTech Advanced Process Equipment (HamaTech APE) GmbH & Co. KG, a member of the Singulus Group and an established market leader of semiconductor equipment, today announced the shipment of its 30th MaskTrack photomask cleaning system. Combining 20 years of cleaning innovation, the MaskTrack has been established as a key enabler for the rapid adoption of 45nm photolithography processes. With the highest first-pass yield and the lowest defect print on wafer results in the industry, the MaskTrack extends the lifetime of critical photomasks saving customers over 1.1 Million USD per annum over conventional systems.

"Since its introduction, the MaskTrack system has been quickly adopted as the tool of record by mask shops and semiconductor manufacturers worldwide for advanced processing" said Wilma Koolen-Hermkens, Chief Executive Officer of HamaTech APE. "Our MaskTrack system was the first in the industry to deliver proven results for the toughest lithography process cleaning challenges at 45nm and beyond. And, as the one company dedicated to the science of cleaning, we are aligned with key partners in the photolithography process to meet the next technology challenges presented at 22nm and Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL)".

Fundamental to MaskTrack's differentiated performance is the unique capability to dynamically control process parameters allowing an unparalleled variety of surface materials to be cleaned on a single tool with zero adjustment downtime. Combined with innovative inspection and repair feedback for targeted cleaning of specific areas of the mask, MaskTrack delivers 100% particle removal efficiency (PRE) and industry-recognized highest first-pass yield results. The system's unique modular design, fully qualified for the complete range of 193i immersion lithography processes, has been established in various mask manufacturing and advanced Wafer Fab environments and is in final qualification stages for the next generation of 22nm device nodes.

Over 500 HamaTech systems, including MaskTrack, are installed at semiconductor manufacturers and mask shops worldwide. For the last 20 years, HamaTech cleaning innovation has been used to enable the photolithography process at every advanced technology node.

About HamaTech APE

HamaTech APE is an established leader of semiconductor equipment. At HamaTech APE we combine the latest technology with extensive know-how to provide systems that are future-compliant. HamaTech APE is a member of the SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES Group.

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