Canon USA Semiconductor Equipment Division Gearing Up to Support Growth; Large Orders and New ``Optimal Imaging'' Program Creating 100 Jobs.Business Editors & High-Tech Writers SAN JOSE San Jose, city, United States San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. , Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 17, 2000 The Semiconductor Equipment Division of Canon U.S.A. Inc., announced today that additional orders for its advanced KrF lithography lithography (lĭthŏg`rəfē), type of planographic or surface printing. It is distinguished from letterpress (relief) printing and from intaglio printing (in which the design is cut or etched into the plate). imaging systems from three large Korean and Japanese chip makers for use in their U.S. fabs have doubled its sales forecast Sales forecast A key input to a firm's financial planning process. External sales forecasts are based on historical experience, statistical analysis, and consideration of various macroeconomic factors. compared with 1999. The orders include Canon's newest high NA KrF steppers and scanners. Canon estimates that the surge in business has created openings for about 100 additional service technicians and applications engineers, mostly at regional and customer site offices that already serve the ordering locations. The company is providing contact information for interested candidates via its Web site, www.usa.canon.com/steppers/getting_main.html. A chip-imaging productivity program developed by the Canon technical center in Utsunomiya, Japan, and launched early this year is also requiring added staff. Canon said the goal of its "Optimal Imaging" program is to provide a total solution for process integration. The program commits specialized spe·cial·ize v. spe·cial·ized, spe·cial·iz·ing, spe·cial·iz·es v.intr. 1. To pursue a special activity, occupation, or field of study. 2. personnel to help fab customers both attain the full potential of their newest Canon imaging tools and maintain optimal process control. Phillip Ware, director and general manager of marketing of Canon USA Semiconductor Equipment Division, said the new program responds to the fact that, as chip feature sizes approach the 100nm realm using sub-wavelength optical lithography, all process parameters will require extensive optimization optimization Field of applied mathematics whose principles and methods are used to solve quantitative problems in disciplines including physics, biology, engineering, and economics. . "Pushing traditional optics to the 100nm node will require every trick in the book," Ware said. Ware said that Canon imaging technicians will work with fab equipment and process engineers to achieve and maintain optimal chip yield not only by fine-tuning lithography tool performance but also through adjustments in the fab environment, timelines, process simulation, resist optimization and other activities. Initially, Canon will offer the new support program as part of an equipment order, but intends to make it an independent business. "The need for more intensive customer support will not go away when the high ride of this business cycle over," Ware said. "The density of device circuits has crossed a threshold where now everything matters, and calls for deeper support." Notes to Editors: The Semiconductor Equipment Division of Canon U.S.A. Inc., based in San Jose, Calif., supplies step-and-repeat and step-and-scan photolithography A lithographic technique used to transfer the design of circuit paths onto printed circuit boards as well as the circuit paths and electronic elements of a chip onto a wafer's surface. A photomask is created with the design for each layer of the board or wafer (chip). tools for making integrated circuits Integrated circuits Miniature electronic circuits produced within and upon a single semiconductor crystal, usually silicon. Integrated circuits range in complexity from simple logic circuits and amplifiers, about 1/20 in. (1. including MR and GMR (Giant Magnetoresistance) See magnetoresistance. thin film heads for hard disk drives, and large active matrix liquid crystal flat panel displays A thin display screen for computer and TV usage. The first flat panels appeared on laptop computers in the mid-1980s, and the LCD technology became the standard. Stand-alone LCD screens became available for desktop computers in the mid-1990s and exceeded sales of CRTs for the first time . Canon U.S.A., Inc. is an industry leader in professional and consumer imaging solutions and, through its parent company, Canon Inc., is a top patent-holder of imaging technologies that give its customers KNOW-HOW. Canon employs 12,000 people at more than 30 facilities throughout North, Central and South American and the Caribbean. Canon Inc., comprising all Canon Group operations, is a $25-billion company with 81,000 employees.. Its headquarters are in Tokyo, Japan, with approximately 80 sales companies, manufacturing companies and R&D centers, worldwide. All referenced product names are trademarks of their respective owners. |
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