Ultratech Superfast 4G+ Wins Advanced FinFET R&D Selection By Major Leading Foundry

SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ultratech, Inc. UTEK, a leading supplier of lithography, laser-processing and inspection systems used to manufacture semiconductor devices and high-brightness LEDs (HB-LEDs), as well as atomic layer deposition (ALD) systems, today announced that its Superfast 4G+ was selected by a major leading foundry for the development of its 3D inspection and process control of its leading-edge FinFET processes. Ultratech's Superfast 4G+ system builds on the field leadership of the Superfast 4G, and provides the industry's highest-productivity for volume manufacturing in a low cost solution. The Superfast 4G+ system's patented coherent gradient sensing (CGS) technology enables Ultratech customers to use a single type of 3D wafer inspection tool to measure patterned wafers across the entire fab line at a low cost.

The Superfast 4G+ leads the foundry 3D process control with capabilities including:

• Improved overlay from over two years of Lithography DFF (Displacement Feed Forward) experience
• Foundry-critical, in-house, high-temperature annealing knowledge of distortion
• Rapid algorithm development enabling customization of its 3D inspection to foundry requirements
• A system architecture empowering field upgradability for multiple nodes

David Owen, Ultratech CTO for Inspection Systems, said, "It is exciting to see Superfast being selected by this leading foundry. The CGS technology is the best equipped in providing the low cost, 3D process control capabilities required by advanced foundry FinFETs. Combining 3D structures with high-temperature annealing requires the inline 3D topography and stress control in which Superfast excels. This foundry partnership and the ability to customize our algorithm to FinFET requirements led to this selection. I look forward to our FinFET process control collaboration and the development of new inspection modes."

Ultratech's Superfast 4G+ Inspection System
Based on patented CGS technology, Ultratech's Superfast 4G+ inspection system provides the industry's highest throughput (150 wph) with the lowest cost-of-ownership compared to competing systems. The direct, front-side 3D topography measurement capability is well-suited for patterned wafer applications such as lithography feed-forward overlay distortion and edge-defocus control as well as thin-film deposition stress and planarization control. Delivering a 2X improvement in performance with fleet matching TMU (Total Measurement Uncertainty), along with the ability to measure opaque and transparent stacks on patterned wafers, the Superfast 4G+ provides cost-effective technology to address the critical needs of its global customers. In addition, leveraging the same breakthrough CGS optical module, the Superfast 4G+ is available as a field upgrade of the Superfast 4G.

Safe Harbor
This release includes forward­looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward­looking statements can generally be identified by words such as "anticipates," "expects," "remains," "thinks," "intends," "believes," "estimates," and similar expressions and include management's current expectation of its longer term prospects for success. These forward­looking statements are based on our current expectations, estimates, assumptions and projections about our business and industry, and the markets and customers we serve, and they are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties that may cause these forward­looking statements to be inaccurate. Such risks and uncertainties include the timing and possible delays, deferrals and cancellations of orders by customers; quarterly revenue fluctuations; industry and sector cyclicality, instability and unpredictability; market demand for consumer devices utilizing semiconductors produced by our clients; our ability to manage costs; new product introductions, market acceptance of new products and enhanced versions of our existing products; reliability and technical acceptance of our products; our lengthy sales cycles, and the timing of system installations and acceptances; lengthy and costly development cycles for laser­processing and lithography technologies and applications; competition and consolidation in the markets we serve; improvements, including in cost and technical features, of competitors' products; rapid technological change; pricing pressures and product discounts; our ability to collect receivables; customer and product concentration and lack of product revenue diversification; inventory obsolescence; general economic, financial market and political conditions and other factors outside of our control; domestic and international tax policies; cybersecurity threats in the United States and globally that could impact our industry, customers, and technologies; and other factors described in our SEC reports including our Annual Report on Form 10­K filed for the year ended December 31, 2014 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed for the quarterly period ended July 4, 2015. Due to these and other factors, the statements, historical results and percentage relationships set forth herein are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations for any future period. We undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward­looking statements to reflect any event or circumstance that may arise after the date of this release.

About Ultratech: Ultratech, Inc. UTEK designs, builds and markets manufacturing systems for the global technology industry. Founded in 1979, Ultratech serves three core markets: front­end semiconductor, back­end semiconductor, and nanotechnology. The company is the leading supplier of lithography products for bump packaging of integrated circuits and high­ brightness LEDs. Ultratech is also the market leader and pioneer of laser spike anneal technology for the production of advanced semiconductor devices. In addition, the company offers solutions leveraging its proprietary coherent gradient sensing (CGS) technology to the semiconductor wafer inspection market and provides atomic layer deposition (ALD) tools to leading research organizations, including academic and industrial institutions. Visit Ultratech online at: www.ultratech.com.

(UTEK­-G)

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SOURCE Ultratech, Inc.