SEZ Increases Da Vinci? Sales Momentum in Japan, Expands Yokohama Demonstration Facility
Company's Broadened Japanese Presence Signals Strength of Single-Wafer Technology Acceptance in Region
SEMICON JAPAN, Chiba, Japan?December 1, 2004?The SEZ Group (SWX: SEZN), the market leader and premier innovator in single-wafer cleaning technology for the semiconductor industry, today announced key developments in its penetration of the Japanese market. A major Japanese semiconductor manufacturer has selected two DV-34BF tools for evaluation in high-volume manufacturing environments. The chipmaker, a longtime SEZ customer, is expected to purchase multiple Da Vinci tools over the next two years based on the results of its evaluation process, which will commence when the tools are delivered in the first quarter of 2005.
Additionally, SEZ is significantly expanding its Customer Application Lab (CAL) based in Yokohama. Opened in July 2004, the lab offers demonstration and process-support capabilities for back-end assembly and packaging applications such as under-bump metallization (UBM) etch, substrate etch and wafer thinning. SEZ is also adding demonstration capabilities to accommodate customers' advanced cleaning requirements associated with 300-mm wafers, sub-65-nm geometries, copper interconnect, low-k/high-k films, and advanced packaging technologies. These include system-on-chip (SoC), system-in-package and multi-chip packaging (SiP and MCP), as well as wafer-level chip-scale packaging (WLCSP).
According to Masaaki Yashiro, chief operating officer for SEZ Japan, "These developments illustrate the escalating importance of single-wafer technology, as well as SEZ's growing installed base in Japan. The transition from batch to single-wafer processing technology is accelerating worldwide, and Japan is one of the primary drivers behind this shift; as of Q3 2004, Japan accounts for 20 percent of our total sales. Consequently, we are expanding the CAL facility to ensure our customers in this important market have access to leading-edge technology. This Da Vinci order from a major Japanese customer underscores the need for these resources."
SEZ reports that it expects visibility to remain strong heading into 2005, led by the Da Vinci platform, as the company believes that Da Vinci tools will represent more than one third of its total sales in the coming year. Adoption of the Da Vinci platform is exceeding original expectations, propelled by the current industry trends toward increased cost reduction, better yields and higher productivity?all of which the Da Vinci technology was created to address.
Already well known as a leading providing of single-wafer wet technology for back-end-of-line (BEOL) applications, SEZ is currently developing its next generation of tools to meet stringent frontend-of-line (FEOL) requirements?in line with its customer-focused strategy to offer complete, fabwide, single-wafer solutions, as well as help drive the need for better factory designs in the equipment sector. The first FEOL application will be centered on photoresist strip processes.
SEZ will have information regarding its leading-edge single-wafer technology, including the Da Vinci platform tools, available during SEMICON Japan, December 1-3, 2004, at Makuhari Messe, Chiba. Editors are invited to visit SEZ's booth # 5A-404, or contact the company via email at info@jp.sez.com or via telephone at +81-3-5802-9170.
About Da Vinci
The Da Vinci Series is a revolutionary new single-wafer processing technology platform designed for high-volume manufacturing applications. Developed to address new cleaning requirements for backend-of-line (BEOL) polymer cleaning, backside etch and clean, as well as for processing emerging applications such as high-k, metal gate, FRAM and MRAM technologies on 200- and 300-mm wafers at the 90-nm and below technology nodes, Da Vinci provides a combination of workable design, high throughput, accurate wafer cleaning needed to maximize device yields.
About SEZ Group
SEZ Group is the leading provider of single-wafer, wet-processing solutions for the global semiconductor industry, with an installed base of over 850 tools. The company maintains operations in Asia-Pacific, Europe, Japan, and North America. SEZ Holding AG is traded on the SWX Swiss Exchange under the symbol SEZN. Additional information about the company is available on the Internet at www.sez.com.
Da Vinci is a trademark of SEZ.
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