BILTHOVEN, The Netherlands - May 31, 2001 - ASM International N.V. (Nasdaq: ASMI and Euronext Stock Exchange in Amsterdam: ASM) today announced the first anniversary of the shipment of the Polygon™ 8200, ASM's Atomic Layer CVD™(ALCVD) cluster tool for atomic layer deposition.
The Polygon is a versatile cluster tool that integrates the critical processes needed for the production of advanced gate stacks for 100 nm and below, transistor technologies. Each individual module of the cluster provides the building blocks for manufacturing the transistors that will power the electronics of tomorrow.
"The Polygon merges ASM's experience acquired on the Epsilon® single wafer epitaxial reactor with the more than ten years of ALCVD proficiency made possible by the acquisition of Microchemistry by ASM two years ago,' said Daniel Queyssac, president and COO of ASM Front-End. "The Polygon has been designed to provide unique production solutions to integrated circuit (IC) manufacturers worldwide, down to the 50 nm technology node, and is an example of leading-edge equipment with corresponding process technology that will ensure ASM a position of strength and growth for many years to come.'
In the first year since the product was introduced, ASM has shipped more than a dozen ALCVD systems to customers worldwide and can count seven of the world's top twelve largest IC makers as its ALCVD customers. For advanced gate stack applications the Polygon combines integrated HF vapor wafer pre-clean capability with nitride and ALCVD high-k dielectric deposition, and polysilicon, or polysilicon-germanium gate-electrode formation.
Furthermore, the Polygon offers very high performance solutions for barrier and seed layers for dual damascene copper metalization and storage and decoupling capacitors. Other applications of this tool include magnetic head and displays.
About ASM
ASM International N.V. is headquartered in Bilthoven, the Netherlands. ASM International is a global company, serving one of the most important and demanding industries in the world. The Company possesses a strong technological base, state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, a competent and qualified workforce and a highly trained, strategically distributed support network. ASM International's subsidiaries design and manufacture equipment and materials used to produce semiconductor devices. ASM International and its subsidiaries provide production solutions for wafer processing, assembly and packaging through their facilities in the United States, Europe, Japan and Asia. ASM International's common stock shares trade on NASDAQ (symbol ASMI) and the Euronext Stock Exchange in Amsterdam (symbol ASM). For more information, visit ASM's web site at http://www.asm.com
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Safe Harbor Statement under the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The statements regarding orders, earnings development and the effects of research and new products on ASM's future, and other matters discussed in this statement, except for any historical data, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to economic conditions in the semiconductor industry, currency fluctuations, the timing of significant orders, market acceptance of new products, competitive factors, risk factors related to litigation and other risks indicated in filings from time to time with the SEC and Stock Exchange Authorities.
ASM and Epsilon are registered trademarks, and Polygon, Atomic Layer CVD and ALCVD are trademarks of ASM International.