The Ebara Technologies' pumps are used to achieve the reduced pressure atmospheres required for advanced silicon epitaxy processes. ASM’s epitaxial tools provide a critical process solution for customers utilizing, for example, Silicon Germanium or Selective Epitaxy in their most advanced semiconductor device products. ASM collaborated with Ebara Technologies to define the requirements for a dry vacuum pump that could support the demanding requirements of epitaxial deposition at reduced pressures in a production environment. The Ebara pumps are now qualified on all Epsilon epitaxial reactors, including the new 300mm E3000™.
Dr. Armand P. Ferro, Vice President and Epitaxial Business Unit Manager commented, "Rapid growth in wireless, communication, and other electronic markets is driving the need for higher performance semiconductor devices. Fabrication of these state-of-the-art devices is dependent on advanced-processing tools such as the Epsilon series of single-wafer epitaxial tools. Likewise, the Epsilon tools are dependent on reliable, high-performance support equipment. Ebara dry-pumps enable us to seamlessly integrate reduced-pressure capability while maintaining the process flexibility, advanced performance, and extreme reliability required in the Epsilon tools.”
Mark A. Perry, Vice President Field Operations for Ebara Technologies Inc. commented, “Our pursuit in maintaining a world-class direct product and support network has been enhanced through working with ASM on the Epsilon product line, we are very encouraged by the increased utilization and performance of our dry pumps in the epitaxial deposition tool market. Ebara is a global innovator and local provider for component products that lead the industry in cost of ownership, mean time to repair, direct service and support. Through this enhanced partnership Ebara will continue to support ASM in providing solutions for tough applications”.
ASM is a world-class supplier of single-wafer epitaxial tools and related semiconductor process equipment. ASM has been building and selling epitaxial reactors since 1987 and its Epsilon reactors are used in mass production by all major semiconductor device manufacturers and wafer suppliers worldwide.
About ASM
ASM International is headquartered in Bilthoven, the Netherlands. ASM International's subsidiaries design, develop, manufacture and market equipment and materials used to produce semiconductor devices. ASM International and its subsidiaries provide production solutions for the wafer-processing, assembly and packaging segments through their facilities in the United States, Europe, Japan and Asia. ASM International's common shares trade on NASDAQ National Market under the symbol “ASMI” and on the Euronext Stock Exchange in Amsterdam under the symbol "ASM". More information on ASM can be found on its website 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.