Lithography stepper gains further traction in advanced packaging and flat panel markets
Flanders, New Jersey (December 2, 2015)—Rudolph Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: RTEC) announced today that a major outsourced assembly and test facility (OSAT) has placed a repeat order for the JetStep® W Series Lithography system, which it will use for both fan-out and fan-in packaging approaches. Additionally, Rudolph received an order from a leading flat panel display (FPD) manufacturer in China for its JetStep G Series Lithography system, which will be used for the development of next-generation processes for high-resolution mobile displays. The JetStep W System will ship in the fourth quarter of 2015 and the JetStep G System will ship in the second quarter of 2016.
“While we are well-established in advanced packaging with our NSX® Series of inspection tools, lithography is a fast growing segment for Rudolph,” said Rich Rogoff, vice president and general manager of Rudolph’s Lithography Systems Group. “Our success so far has been a result of our ability to help our customers meet the challenges of the newly-developing processes emerging in the rapidly expanding back-end.”
“The JetStep W Series is a flexible reduction step-and-repeat tool that is specifically designed to meet the technical requirements of advanced packaging applications, which are often quite different from front-end lithography,” Rogoff continued. “It provides our customers with the flexibility to handle all of the current advanced processes, as well as new ones as they arise. The JetStep System can accommodate complex applications, such as thick resist layers, varying substrate thickness, wafer scaling variation and warped wafers associated with fan-out wafer level packaging (FO-WLP), through silicon vias (TSVs), and copper pillar bumps. In addition, the systems can process either traditional round wafer substrates or larger rectangular panel substrates, which can provide significant increases in productivity. It really can be customized for each of our customers’ unique requirements. We understand that the JetStep is a paradigm shift for the industry, and we are pleased to see its growing adoption by leading OSATs worldwide.”
“Rudolph has an established lithography footprint in the FPD market,” said Elvino da Silveira, vice president of marketing for Rudolph. “This latest FPD order reinforces the value of the JetStep system’s foundational stepper technology that continues to serve the FPD market, while we expand into the burgeoning advanced packaging arena where Rudolph can offer more complete manufacturing solutions by leveraging our inspection, metrology, and software solutions.”
The JetStep W Series features a large field of view (52mm x 66mm) to improve exposure efficiency and throughput. The system is unique in its ability to handle a wide range of substrates and accommodate substrate warp. These and other purpose-designed features, such as on-the-fly auto focus and a large automatic magnification compensation range, provide ways to increase throughput and maximize yield in advanced packaging applications that are unavailable from lithography tools designed for front-end processes or conventional packaging applications.
The JetStep G Series addresses the demanding lithography requirements of the display industry. The system balances performance with flexibility to achieve optimal cost-of-ownership. It uses high-fidelity optics, with resolution capability down to 1.5 microns, and the largest printable stepper field available, enabling more displays per shot. This feature, combined with on-the-fly auto-focus and magnification compensation, maximizes throughput and yield. The innovative grid stage allows the system to be easily scaled to meet the customer’s desired substrate size.
For more information about Rudolph’s JetStep Lithography systems, please visit www.Onto Innovationtech.com.
About Rudolph Technologies
Rudolph Technologies, Inc. is a leader in the design, development, manufacture and support of defect inspection, lithography, process control metrology, and data analysis systems and software used by semiconductor and advanced packaging device manufacturers worldwide. Rudolph delivers comprehensive solutions throughout the fab with its families of proprietary products that provide critical yield-enhancing information, enabling microelectronic device manufacturers to drive down costs and time to market of their devices. The Company’s expanding portfolio of equipment and software provides comprehensive solutions for front-end wafer processing, final manufacturing and advanced packaging of ICs. Headquartered in Flanders, New Jersey, Rudolph supports its customers with a worldwide sales and service organization. Additional information can be found on the Company’s website at www.Onto Innovationtech.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Act”) which include the benefits to customers of Rudolph’s products, Rudolph’s business momentum and future growth, Rudolph’s existing market position and its ability to maintain and advance such position relative to its competitors and Rudolph’s ability to meet the expectations and needs of our customers as well as other matters that are not purely historical data. Rudolph wishes to take advantage of the “safe harbor” provided for by the Act and cautions that actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of various factors, including risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Rudolph’s control. Such factors include, but are not limited to, delays in shipping products for technical performance, component supply or other reasons, the company’s ability to leverage its resources to improve its positions in its core markets and fluctuations in customer capital spending. Additional information and considerations regarding the risks faced by Rudolph are available in Rudolph’s Form 10-K report for the year ended December 31, 2014 and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As the forward-looking statements are based on Rudolph’s current expectations, the company cannot guarantee any related future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Rudolph does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.
Contacts:
Investors:
Steven R. Roth
973.448.4302
steven.roth@Onto Innovationtech.com
Guerrant Associates
Laura Guerrant-Oiye
Principal
808.882.1467
[email protected]
Trade Press:
Amy Shay
952.259.1794
amy.shay@Onto Innovationtech.com