Nanometrics Announces Launch of its Mosaic II Overlay Metrology System and Selection by Leading Asian Customer

MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nanometrics Incorporated (Nasdaq:NANO), a leading provider of advanced process control metrology, today announced the launch and delivery to a leading Asian memory customer of the Mosaic™ II, its newest turnkey image-based overlay metrology solution for advanced high-volume IC manufacturing.

“We continue to strengthen our product offerings in this important market with a major Asian customer selecting the Mosaic II system for production line monitoring of their most challenging devices.”

“Nanometrics has shipped over 500 overlay metrology systems, beginning with its first tool twenty-five years ago, and has been a leading provider of overlay metrology systems from technology nodes of over 1 micron to the current 2x nm applications. With the launch of the Mosaic II, Nanometrics extends its role as an innovator in the field of overlay metrology, supporting advanced lithography process control, including double patterning processes used on today’s most advanced devices,” commented David Doyle, vice president and business unit manager of Nanometrics. “We continue to strengthen our product offerings in this important market with a major Asian customer selecting the Mosaic II system for production line monitoring of their most challenging devices.”

The Mosaic II is the latest overlay metrology system in a series of products designed as part of Nanometrics’ Lynx™ cluster metrology platform. Combining Mosaic II with IMPULSE^® modules onto a Lynx metrology cluster, we offer our customers a more complete solution for advanced lithography control. This configuration would enable image-based overlay, diffraction-based overlay (DBO) and optical critical dimension (OCD) measurements, providing the lowest cost of ownership in the industry for lithography process control metrology. Earlier generation Caliper Mosaic tools can be field upgraded to Mosaic II capability, offering Nanometrics’ customers the most cost-effective path to leading edge performance.

To learn more about the Mosaic II, Lynx cluster metrology, and Nanometrics process control metrology solutions, visit Nanometrics at SPIE Advanced Lithography, San Jose Convention Center, March 1^st-2^nd.

About Nanometrics

Nanometrics is a leading provider of advanced, high-performance process control metrology systems used primarily in the fabrication of semiconductors, high-brightness LEDs, data storage devices and solar photovoltaics. Nanometrics’ automated and integrated metrology systems measure critical dimensions, device structures, overlay registration, topography and various thin film properties, including film thickness as well as optical, electrical and material properties. The company’s process control solutions are deployed throughout the fabrication process, from front-end-of-line substrate manufacturing, to high-volume production of semiconductors and other devices, to advanced wafer-scale packaging applications. Nanometrics’ systems enable device manufacturers to improve yields, increase productivity and lower their manufacturing costs. The company maintains its headquarters in Milpitas, California, with sales and service offices worldwide. Nanometrics is traded on NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol NANO. Nanometrics’ website is http://www.nanometrics.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, statements regarding the capabilities of the company’s metrology products, technological leadership and expected delivery of systems. Although Nanometrics believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, expectations regarding product capabilities and future collaboration are subject to a number of risks, including changes in customer spending plans, worldwide economic conditions and the continued technological leadership of our products. For additional information and considerations regarding the risks faced by Nanometrics, see its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 2, 2010 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as other periodic reports filed with the SEC from time to time. Nanometrics disclaims any obligation to update information contained in any forward-looking statement.