Electroglas Introduces 200-mm-Wafer Prober for Ultra-Sensitive dc Parametric Testing.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SEMICON Europa

MUNICH, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 25, 2001

Extremely Low System Noise of Automatic Prober Enables

High-Resolution, Front-End Parametric Measurements

Electroglas, Inc. (Nasdaq:EGLS), a leading supplier of process management tools for the semiconductor industry, today introduces at SEMICON Europa the EG4|200e automatic wafer prober for ultra-sensitive parametric tests during front-end wafer processing and for the testing of wafer products for advanced rf communications. Technology developed with Electroglas strategic partner Cascade Microtech results in extremely low system noise, leakage and capacitance, thereby shortening measurement settling times to values unrivaled by other production wafer probers. The EG4|200e enables the latest semiconductor fabrication processes to be monitored with greatly improved resolution and accuracy, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and time to market for the industry's most-advanced devices.

"The noise and leakage figures of the EG4|200e are far below those of any other prober for production applications. In order to control complex fabrication processes during development of the most-advanced high-speed devices, chip manufacturers will increasingly rely upon front-end or in-line parametric testing of device performance and functionality. The unrivalled electrical performance of the 4|200e enables them to make the high-resolution measurements they will require," said Wayne Woodard, vice president and general manager of the 200-mm business unit. "The EG4|200e low-noise system utilizes the innovative wafer-chuck technology and patented designs of Cascade Microtech, the acknowledged technology leader for low-noise wafer parametric measurement in the research-and-development environment. Those provisions enable our customers to develop and verify in-line device performance before their products are completed, therefore increasing the confidence in process control during production. By combining that low-noise technology and our advanced production probing capabilities, the EG4|200e is unmatched in its ability to make in-line parametric wafer measurements."

The EG4|200e incorporates the newest Windows NT Operating System, affording unexcelled process monitoring and process control through the host system or through the Internet. As a result, users gain a powerful resource for remote yield analysis and management.

Besides the Cascade Microtech low-noise guarded chuck, tuned cables, magnetic isolation, and a low-noise mechanical design contribute to the superior electrical performance of the prober. Moreover, the EG4|200e accommodates very high pin counts at extremely low chuck deflection, with high reliability.

For further information, contact Bob Fenton at 408/528-3000.

About Cascade Microtech, Inc.

Cascade Microtech, Inc., based in Beaverton, Ore., is the world's largest manufacturer of probe stations, probe cards, accessories and software used in analytical testing and R&D characterization of semiconductor devices on-wafer. Cascade's Pyramid Probe Division's membrane probe cards are used to test a variety of digital and analog integrated circuits. Pyramid(TM) probes have become the leading solution for final test of high-bandwidth communication chips used in optical fiber links for Internet communications -- currently the fastest-growing segment of the semiconductor industry. For more information about Cascade Microtech, please visit www.cascademicrotech.com.

About Electroglas, Inc.

Electroglas delivers essential tools for process management to enhance the profitability of semiconductor manufacturers. The company's wafer probers, inspection systems and software solutions serve as data collection, management and analysis tools that semiconductor manufacturers depend upon to improve their productivity and process control by optimizing sort-floor efficiency. Electroglas has been a leading supplier of wafer probers for more than 35 years and has an installed base of more than 10,000 systems. The company's stock trades on the NASDAQ National Market under the symbol "EGLS". The company's World Wide Web site is located at www.electroglas.com.