Milestones in NanoPhotonics' History

1997NP founded
by Dr. Michael Abraham and Jan Melles.

1999The Photonics Spectra Circle of Excellence Award
for ELLIPSON®, the world’s smallest laser ellipsometer.

2000A strategic partnership with ASM has been
established with the vision to integrate NP’s ultra
compact thin film and defect inspection devices into
ASM's various process tools.

2001SEMICON West introduction of Ellipsometer
integrated to a Brooks Automation sorter

2002The first REFLEX TableTop shipped to SUESS, Munich,
as a versatile cost effectiv defect inspection system.

2003A joint development program with a leading Wafer
manufacturer started to develop automatic wafer back
side and edge inspection technology for 300 mm wafer
manufacturing

2004ELLIPSON MetriCube® Laser Ellipsometer integrated
to ASMJ CVD tool

2004REFLEX AF 300 mm automatic defect inspection
system shipped to Taiwanese customer

2006JANUS® combined defect inspection& ellipsometer
tool integrated to ASM’s A412 vertical furnace

2006First REFLEX MC EBI systems for edge and back side
defect inspection delivered to leading wafer manufacturer

2008200/300 mm Glass Silicon Defect Inspection tool
shipped to major back-End of line manufacturer

2008NanoPhotonics becomes member of the Ricmar Group
www.Ricmar.com

2009NanoPhotonics releases next generation of edge
inspection technology

450 mm surface and edge inspection tools
successfully installed at ISMI

Surface defect inspection tool shipped to US based
manufacturer of advanced PV cells

Inspection tool for mask blanks shipped to leading
manufacturer of lithography equipment

2010NanoPhotonics developed a new High Sensitivity-65nm
Particle & Defect Detection System for Mask Blanks
and Bare Wafers. Initial tests show a clear detection of
64nm latex spheres on bare Si-Wafers. The system
features high sensitivity, high throughput at low cost.