February 6, 2012
Ardy Johnson, Vice President, Rudolph Technologies, Inc.
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Ardy Johnson, Vice
President of Marketing
and Product Management,
Rudolph Technologies, Inc.
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We
are optimistic about the prospects of the industry in 2012. Among other
developments, we expect to see substantive progress in the transition to 450 mm
wafers. The benefits of larger wafers have been demonstrated over and over
again, so the question is not if, but
when, and more importantly, who; that is, who will pay the
substantial development costs?
The cost of moving to 200 mm was borne largely
by device manufacturers, who vowed that they would not do it again. The cost of
300 mm development fell primarily on equipment manufacturers, who have likewise
vowed, "Never again!" But, the need to continue reducing costs hasn’t gone away.
The
change to 450 mm will be collaboratively funded and the first steps have
already been taken. A consortium of semiconductor producers is establishing two
metrology centers—one in the US and one in Japan. They will help equipment
manufacturers develop their tools using wafers that will be shuttled between
equipment manufacturers and these centers.
We are very pleased to be providing
our metrology and defect inspection tools to these facilities. We see
these forward-looking investments as a real and significant indication of the
long term health of the industry.
Ardy Johnson, Vice President of Marketing and Product Management
Rudolph Technologies, Inc.
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