KLA signs exclusive agreement to market defect data management software for yield improvement; company also forms new business unit under Scott Landstrom.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 25, 1995--KLA Instruments Corp. (NASDAQ/NMS:KLAC), the world's largest producer of yield management and analysis systems for semiconductor manufacturing, Monday announced it has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Defect and Yield Management Inc. (DYM) of Bedford, Mass., to market DYM's defect data management system software.

Now called KLA "Quest," the product will be marketed by KLA's WISARD Division in conjunction with its defect inspection products, as well as by KLA's PRISM Division in conjunction with its yield management software products.

Quest is a totally integrated defect data management system, specifically developed to enable analysis of defect-related yield excursions during manufacturing of integrated circuits. It provides comprehensive defect data correlation to various possible causal mechanisms.

The system's open architecture automatically collects process data from any combination of patterned wafer inspection tools and review stations, and sends it to a centralized ORACLE database which correlates, analyzes and partitions data to isolate yield-reducing defects in IC processing steps.

The system's sophisticated image server displays stored defect images acquired from review stations in less than 5 seconds. Statistical process control is facilitated with SPC trend charts linked to real-time data collection.

The "point-and-click" feature allows the user to select a location on a chart and display defect distributions and images to analyze process variations.

"The new Quest software, together with KLA's Discovery yield management software and our CIMA test floor automation software, allows us to provide a broad product scope and a more complete yield management solution for our customers," said Michael Pliner, vice president and general manager of KLA's PRISM Division.

"Our goal is to be the key source of critical factory-wide yield management software for the semiconductor industry, and this agreement will help us to achieve that goal."

In a related move, KLA also announced the reorganization of its WISARD Division to create a separate Analysis and Review business unit chartered with exclusive focus on wafer defect analysis and defect review systems and solutions. Quest marketing within WISARD will be handled by the new unit.

KLA announced the addition of Scott J. Landstrom in the role of vice president and business unit director to head the newly formed organization. "Our leadership position in the patterned wafer inspection market uniquely positions us to develop unparalleled yield enhancing systems in the analysis and defect review market segments," said Gary Dickerson, vice president of the WISARD Division.

"Forming a dedicated business unit with a clear mandate to channel our technology and distinctive competence in these segments is a measure of our commitment to provide complete yield management solutions across the wafer fab," Dickerson added.

KLA Instruments Corp. is the world's leading manufacturer of yield monitoring and process control systems for the semiconductor manufacturing industry. The publicly held company is traded on the NASDAQ National Market System under the symbol "KLAC."

CONTACT: KLA Instruments Corp., San Jose

Jim Chalmers, 408/468-3392