Metrosol Teams With John P. Kummer Group To Expand European Presence

Austin, TX - 31 March 2008

Metrosol, Inc., a developer, manufacturer and worldwide supplier of short wavelength optical metrology solutions, today announced it has chosen the John P. Kummer Group as its representative in the European semiconductor market. With over 30 years experience in semiconductor capital equipment sales offices in France, Germany and the United Kingdom, the John P. Kummer Group will speed the access of European semiconductor manufacturers  to Metrosol’s unique vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) optical measurement technology. Metrosol’s VUV metrology is the heart of the only high-volume production modular platform capable of measuring both the thickness and composition of  high-k and interlayer films used in manufacturing gate structures, and new generation advanced films for DRAM processes that meet the performance requirements mandated for 45-nm and smaller production nodes.

“The John P. Kummer Group has offices located near key European technology centers and has helped many key U.S. semiconductor capital equipment companies build their presence in the European market,” said Dean Turnbaugh, Metrosol’s Senior Director. “Partnering with such an experienced semiconductor equipment sales company will play a key role in accelerating the global adoption of our VUV technology.”

Metrosol’s patented Tru-VUV™ reflectrometry represents the leading-edge in the industry’s ultrathin film optical measurement technology, allowing precise collection of reflected light from an enhanced spectral range (800 nm to 120 nm) on a production-worthy platform. Operating at these shorter VUV wavelengths provides critical data unavailable to the development or fab engineer using other reflectometers or ellipsometers. Gauge capable for films below 10 Ǻ, Metrosol’s Tru-VUV© technology can decouple film thickness and composition; is sensitive to N content; as well as other low Z elements; and can measure optical properties at and below 193 nm. The VUV-7000 can provide simultaneous composition and thickness information for the new generation of Hafnia-based film stacks and DRAM/Flash MIM stacks.

“Many of our semiconductor equipment partners over the last 30 years have had products focused in inspection and metrology—areas critical to ensuring a semiconductor manufacturer can attain optimal yields from his process tools,” said John Kummer, the John P. Kummer Group’s Founder and President.  “We are delighted to work with Metrosol in introducing their leading-edge VUV technology to the European semiconductor industry.”

This leading-edge VUV measurement technology is delivered on a unique modular architecture that provides an unprecedented level of flexibility. Depending on the number of metrology modules deployed on the platform, it can be used as a stand-alone lab metrology tool, be fully integrated into the fab for production use or integrated onto other cluster tools as an in-situ metrology module. Capable of handling up to five metrology modules on a single platform, the system is easily field-upgradeable. In addition, modules can be easily hot-swapped for repair or maintenance, significantly reducing system downtime and reducing platform cost of ownership. Depending on the application or fab requirements, the platform’s flexible, modular architecture can process up to 100 wafers per hour even for advanced applications such as high N, SiON and HfO2, high-k dielectrics.

For more information, please contact:

Press Contact
Christopher Castillo
Castle Communications
Phone: +1.408.244.0657

Sales Contact
Dean Turnbaugh
Metrosol
Phone: +1.512.833.8750