Japan Electronics Manufacturer Selects FEI System for In-Fab Root Cause Analysis
FEI's DA300 HP DualBeam(TM) to be utilized for unique CCD application
HILLSBORO, Ore./May 11, 2006--FEI Company (Nasdaq: FEIC) today announced that a global Japanese electronics manufacturer has selected FEI's DA 300 in-fab defect analyzer for its factory. The advanced automated system will enable critical root cause analysis in a fraction of the time required by other techniques and will be used for the first time ever to rapidly analyze process defects in CCD semiconductor devices.
CCDs are semiconductors used in video cameras, digital still cameras and cameras built into cellular phones. These devices are manufactured with several hundred million light sensors contained in approximately one square centimeter of the CCD chip. The chip then transforms captured light into electronic signals.
"As electronic products continue to shrink in size and increase in performance, so do the devices required to run them," commented Jim Pouquette, FEI's vice president of Asia-Pacific. "This unique application for the DA 300 represents the growing demand for tools that can control and enhance a variety of advanced nanoscale manufacturing processes."
The DA 300HP's software uses programmed recipes for consistent automation of repetitive tasks; Automated Defect Redetection (ADR) and Automated Defect Cross-Sectioning (ADX) ensure maximum tool use with minimal operator intervention, allowing users to focus on identifying what parameters need to change to improve process yield.
The advanced Defect Analyzer system is engineered to operate in demanding fab environments. Cleanroom-compatible system construction, S2 safety certification, and optional factory automation capabilities make the system an easy tool to integrate into fab facilities.
The order was booked in the first quarter of 2006 and FEI anticipates shipping the system in June.
About FEI
FEI's Tools for Nanotech(TM), featuring focused ion- and electron-beam technologies, deliver 3D characterization, analysis and modification capabilities with resolution down to the sub-Angstrom level and provide innovative solutions for customers working in NanoResearch and Industry, NanoElectronics and NanoBiology. The company's products for NanoElectronics address a robust set of both fab- and lab-based applications including 3D metrology and defect analysis, mask repair and circuit edit. With R&D centers in North America and Europe, and sales and service operations in more than 50 countries around the world, FEI is bringing the nanoscale within the grasp of leading researchers and manufacturers and helping to turn some of the biggest ideas of this century into reality. More information can be found on the FEI website at: www.feicompany.com.
