Partnership Now Expands Into High-volume FEOL Cleans for Memory Devices

    VILLACH, Austria, July 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The SEZ Group (SWX: SEZN), the
market leader and premier innovator in single-wafer cleaning solutions for the
semiconductor industry, today announced it has entered into a joint
development program (JDP) with a leading memory semiconductor manufacturer,
targeting high-volume front-end-of-line (FEOL) cleans.  The two companies will
collaborate on advanced single-wafer wet solutions that significantly shorten
cycle times, enabling higher yields and reduced costs for sub-65-nm device
nodes.  A key focus of this effort will be developing highly efficient,
selective and damage-free FEOL cleans that are compatible with high-volume
manufacturing.  The JDP will also pursue solutions for delicate FEOL
structures, which traditional batch cleaning technologies are unable to
handle.
    "We are very pleased to be partnering with this memory technology leader,"
stated Herwig Petschnig, chief operating officer for SEZ Asia-Pacific.  "This
agreement expands upon the existing relationship between our two companies,
leveraging successful joint work already completed, and underlines the
convergence between the advanced technology needs of memory production and
SEZ's capabilities, experience and technical roadmap.  Just as SEZ pioneered
the single-wafer wet technology now widely used in the BEOL, we are leading
the industry transition to FEOL single-wafer processes.  Together with our
partner companies, SEZ will address the solutions that these processes require
as the industry moves below 65 nm."
    This latest partnership represents a key milestone for the industry -- not
only because of its focus on resolving the challenges associated with
deep-submicron FEOL cleans, but also because it underscores a significant
shift in mindset among semiconductor manufacturers across the board.  The
initial BEOL conversion from batch to single-wafer processing was spearheaded
by logic manufacturers, whose critical cleaning requirements were more
stringent than those of memory providers.  Today, having seen the benefits of
single-wafer technology, memory makers are leapfrogging their counterparts in
the logic business and proactively pursuing the transition to single-wafer for
FEOL processes.  This SEZ JDP will thus enable volume production of highly
advanced semiconductor ICs.
    The SEZ Group will be exhibiting at SEMICON West 2005, July 12-14, at the
Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco.  Readers interested in learning
more about this JDP, as well the company's products, technology and other
development programs, are invited to visit the SEZ Group in the North Hall at
Booth #5568.

    About SEZ Group
    The SEZ Group is the leading provider of single-wafer, wet-processing
solutions for the global semiconductor industry, with an installed base of
over 950 tools.  The company maintains operations in Asia-Pacific, Europe,
Japan, and North America.  SEZ Holding AG is traded on the SWX Swiss Exchange
under the symbol SEZN.  Additional information about the company is available
on the Internet at http://www.sez.com.

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