MILPITAS, Calif., June 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today KLA-Tencor Corporation™ (NASDAQ: KLAC) announced shipment of the first LMS IPRO5 reticle pattern placement metrology system. The recipient, the Advanced Mask Technology Center (AMTC) in Dresden, Germany, intends to use the system to support development of advanced reticle technology that will be used to pattern the most critical layers of the industry's next-generation integrated circuits.

The development of the LMS IPRO5 was partially funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) through project CDuR32, "Critical Dimension and Registration for 32nm Mask Lithography." The purpose of the CDuR32 project is to accelerate advanced reticle development and manufacturing for the Dresden region, already recognized as a European center for electronics. CDuR32 is also aligned with the goals of the European Nanoelectronics Initiative Advisory Council (ENIAC) to help expand Europe's position in nanoelectronics. Access to leading-edge metrology equipment is crucial to ensuring that reticle features are sized and positioned within the narrow tolerances specified for next-generation chip manufacturing.  

The German Metrology Institute (PTB) made significant contributions to the project. They developed a reference metrology system for the LMS IPRO5 to validate length and straightness measurements and enable calibration of the tool. PTB scientists also investigated the potential applicability of scatterometry and electron and scanning probe microscopy for mask metrology, through basic experimental and theoretical work.

At the outset of the project, the LMS IPRO product group was part of the Microelectronic Inspection Equipment (MIE) division of Vistec Semiconductor Systems. In September 2008, the MIE division was acquired by KLA-Tencor. Development and manufacturing of the industry-leading LMS IPRO product line remains in Weilburg, Germany. The next-generation system, the LMS IPRO5, is designed to support the stringent precision and repeatability requirements for pattern placement metrology of reticles supporting advanced lithography techniques and 3Xnm to 2Xnm node devices.

About KLA-Tencor:

KLA-Tencor Corporation (NASDAQ: KLAC), the world's leading supplier of process control and yield management solutions for the semiconductor and related industries, partners with customers around the world to develop state-of-the-art inspection and metrology technologies. These technologies serve the semiconductor, data storage, LED, photovoltaic, and other related nanoelectronics industries. With a portfolio of industry-standard products and a team of world-class engineers and scientists, the company has created superior solutions for its customers for over 30 years. Headquartered in Milpitas, California, KLA-Tencor has dedicated customer operations and service centers around the world. Additional information may be found at www.kla-tencor.com. (KLAC-P)

About AMTC:

The Advanced Mask Technology Center GmbH & Co. KG (AMTC) is a joint venture of GLOBALFOUNDRIES and Toppan Photomasks. The AMTC is a worldwide leading center for the development and production of advanced photomasks. For further information, please visit www.amtc-dresden.com.

Forward Looking Statements:

Statements in this press release other than historical facts, such as statements regarding LMS IPRO5's expected performance, trends in the semiconductor industry (and the anticipated challenges associated with them), expected uses of the LMS IPRO5 by KLA-Tencor's customers, and the anticipated cost, operational and other benefits realizable by users of the LMS IPRO5 tools, are forward-looking statements, and are subject to the Safe Harbor provisions created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on current information and expectations, and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in such statements due to various factors, including delays in the adoption of new technologies (whether due to cost or performance issues or otherwise), the introduction of competing products by other companies or unanticipated technological challenges or limitations that affect the implementation, performance or use of KLA-Tencor's products.

SOURCE KLA-Tencor Corporation