Metrosol Teams With Inabata To Introduce Production-Worthy
VUV Metrology Tool To Japanese Semiconductor Industry At
Semicon Japan

Makahari, Japan - 3 December 2007

Metrosol, Inc., a developer, manufacturer and worldwide supplier of short wavelength optical metrology solutions, today at SEMICON Japan debuted its patented vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) wavelength (down to 120nm) reflectometry technology to the Japanese market. Originally introduced in July, at SEMICON West, Metrosol's VUV optical measurement technology is optimized for ultra-thin film metrology applications. It is the heart of the VUV-7000, the only high-volume-production worthy platform capable of measuring both the thickness and composition of high-k and interlagyer films used in manufacturing gate structures that meet the performance requirements mandated for 45-nm and smaller production nodes.

Metrosol will market and distribute the VUV-7000 in Japan through Inabata & Co. Ltd., a leading Japanese distributor of semiconductor capital equipment. Metrosol representatives will be available during SEMICON Japan in the Inabata booth (6A-301-Front End) to provide details on this critical emerging technology.

"In the end of 2006 Metrosol and Inabata entered an agreement where Inabata became Metrosol's sales representatives in Japan," said Toshiyuki Suganuma, Inabata's Executive Officer. In late 2007 Inabata will have a demo tool in Japan to help support the Japanese customer sales process. Metrosol's unique technology brings new capability to the process control of the next generation of semiconductor and data storage technologies. For that reason Inabata is honored and priviledged to represent Metrosol in Japan."

Semiconductor manufacturers are currently engaged in changing the composition of the thin films used to build gate structures to meet the performance demands of the 45-nm node and below. The industry is currently pursuing two alternative solutions, either increasing the nitrogen content in SiON films or moving to more complicated HfSiO2 high-k stacks. Regardless of the approach used, the ability to quickly measure both the film thickness and film composition simultaneously is becoming a critical issue. Recent work with SEMATECH has provided compelling evidence of the VUV-7000's ability to accurately and non-destructively perform both these key measurements simultaneously on product wafers at the throughput required for high-volume manufacturing.

"With its higher throughput and lower acquisition cost, our VUV-7000 tool offers the best advanced process control solution available for the 45 nm node and beyond," said Kevin Fahey, Metrosol's CEO. " Japan, home to some the world's leading integrated device manufacturers, is an extremely important market for us. We are delighted that our relationship with Inabata, a leading Japanese distributor, makes it possible for us to effectively bring our industry-leading technology to this critical market."

For more information, please contact:

Press Contact
Christopher Castillo
Castle Communications
Phone: +1.408.244.0657

Sales Contacts
Sean Jameson
VP of Sales
Metrosol
Phone: +1.512.833.8750

Tanin Kittijesada
Inabata & Co., Ltd.
Electronics Materials & Equipment Division
Phone: +81.3.3639.6549
Fax: +81.3.3639.6673