New NanoCD TM Suite Improves OCD Process Control

Advanced Modeling and Recipe Features Accelerate Time to Results

MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nanometrics Incorporated (Nasdaq:NANO), a leading supplier of advanced metrology systems, today announced a new release of NanoCD^TM Suite, a turnkey optical critical dimension (OCD) analysis solution with advanced modeling and recipe building capabilities. The suite, which is composed of high-performance software and hardware components, addresses process control requirements for semiconductor devices in production at 2x nm nodes and development at 1x nm nodes. The new product incorporates NanoDiffract^TM 3.0, a proprietary OCD software engine broadly adopted by the world’s leading memory and logic customers and production proven at 2x nm technology nodes.

“Process control for advanced technology devices requires metrology solutions to handle complex structures, optimize sensitivity and discriminate key parameters of interest”

The new NanoCD Suite features the most comprehensive capabilities available to model complex three-dimensional structures. This enables direct on-device, production measurements for the most advanced devices including buried-gate DRAM and non-planar CMOS, 3D FinFET transistors and stacked gate Flash architecture. Additionally, new software features simplify OCD recipe building and include model optimization functions to significantly accelerate time to results. With these capabilities, Nanometrics customers can analyze and model hundreds of different structural measurements, or “recipes,” using a common platform.

“Process control for advanced technology devices requires metrology solutions to handle complex structures, optimize sensitivity and discriminate key parameters of interest,” said David Doyle, vice president of Nanometrics’ Semiconductor Business Unit. “The release of our new calculation and modeling platform provides these capabilities, as well as the speed required for both rapid development of new technologies and process control in high-volume manufacturing.”

“OCD is quickly becoming the most widely-deployed, in-line production metrology application in the semiconductor industry,” said Dr. Timothy J. Stultz, president and chief executive officer. “By providing a solution that addresses the challenges of three-dimensional metrology at smaller nodes while speeding time to results, we enable our customers to efficiently accelerate their technology development and product roadmaps.”

NanoCD Suite is deployed with the company’s Atlas® XP+ and IMPULSE® systems to provide complete turnkey solutions for both standalone and integrated OCD metrology. The product is also available now as an upgrade package to existing Nanometrics Atlas and IMPULSE customers.

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 Select Global 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, market leadership and growth of OCD metrology. Although Nanometrics believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, expectations regarding product capabilities, market share and growth are subject to a number of risks, including changes in customer spending plans and technology roadmaps, 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 1, 2011 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.