Alchimer Raises $10 Million to Expand Global Customer Support and Broaden New IP Development.

Funding Helps Provider of Innovative Wet Deposition Processes for Through-Silicon Via 3D-Packaging Meet Continuing Growth in Demand

MASSY, France -- Alchimer S.A., a leading provider of cost-saving wet deposition processes for interconnections in advanced 3D-packaging applications, announced today that it has raised an additional $10 million in new financing to expand customer-support programs and pursue new IP development.

Alchimer's D round of funding includes both previous and new investors, including AGF, CEA Investissement and Emertec Gestion.

"We expect Alchimer to make a significant contribution to 3D-packaging technology, which will play an important role in the development of next-generation devices," said Jean-Philippe Stefanini, general partner of Grenoble, France-based Emertec Gestion. "Alchimer is an ideal fit for our portfolio, and we have great confidence in its experienced management team."

"The continued support of investors, especially in this difficult economic environment, is a solid endorsement of Alchimer's innovative technology," said Alchimer CEO Steve Lerner. "It also underscores the impact of Alchimer's electrografting technology in enabling the emerging 3D market through process enhancement and cost reduction."

Alchimer recently announced an enhancement of its eG ViaCoat process for the copper seed metallization of through-silicon vias (TSVs), which are used to create interconnections in advanced 3D-packaging applications. These structures are typically very narrow in comparison to their depth; this high aspect ratio creates a number of challenges to the deposition of uniform films. The eG ViaCoat process uses chemicals to deposit these films at levels of uniformity that meet or exceed standard industry quality metrics. In addition to having a number of process advantages, this "wet" approach allows the eG ViaCoat to be implemented on legacy plating equipment without retrofits or modifications.

In further evidence of the company's increasing acceptance as a low-cost alternative for TSV copper seed and related films, Alchimer announced that it has signed an agreement with Nagase & Co. Ltd., a Tokyo-based technology-marketing company with an extensive background in chemicals, plastics and electronics. Nagase will help Alchimer meet rapidly increasing demand from key Japanese customers.

"Nagase will allow us to take advantage of synergies in the chemical and electronics markets and ensure excellent support for our customers in Japan," Lerner said.

The company also announced that industry veteran Kathy Cook has been hired in a new position, director of business development in North America. Cook has held positions in manufacturing, sales and business development within the semiconductor industry for more than 15 years, with companies including Applied Materials, Millipore Corp., ULVAC Technologies and SUSS MicroTec.

About Alchimer S.A

Alchimer develops and markets innovative chemical formulations, processes and IP for the deposition of nanometric films used in both semiconductor interconnects and 3D TSVs (through-silicon vias). The company's breakthrough technology, Electrografting (eG[TM]), is an electrochemical-based process that enables the growth of very thin coatings, of various types, on both conducting and semiconducting surfaces. Based in Massy, France, Alchimer is a spin-off from the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA). Founded in 2001, it won the First National Award for the Creation of High Tech Companies from the French Minister of Research and Industry and is a Red Herring Top 100 European Company.