News Release

New Laboratory Building at Naka Division Completed

— Laboratory to Promote Upfront Development of
Semiconductor Metrology and Inspection Equipment —

Tokyo Japan, November 19, 2014 – Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (TOKYO: 8036, Hitachi High-Tech) has completed construction of the Metrology and Inspection Center Naka (MIC Naka). The new laboratory building is located at the Naka Division (Hitachinaka City, Ibaraki Prefecture). The Naka Division is a core R&D and manufacturing site for semiconductor metrology and inspection equipment. Through the construction of this new laboratory, the Company will promote collaborative upfront development for the semiconductor metrology and inspection equipment and systems that it builds.

Hitachi High Tech's customers are continually introducing new technologies and materials for product miniaturization and advancement to 3D process technology. These advances will develop the next generation of cutting-edge semiconductor devices with even higher performance than current levels. As a result, the demands placed on semiconductor metrology and inspection equipment have diversified, with semiconductor manufacturers urgently in need of equipment that has capability specifications that will satisfy their new requirements. To meet this demand, it has become necessary for Hitachi High-Tech to work in even closer collaboration with their customers. The introduction of the MIC Naka now makes it possible to start collaborative development at the earliest R&D point and continue through confirmation that the tool capability will meet the customer's need at each subsequent stage of development.

The first floor of the newly completed MIC Naka building is equipped with a clean room that matches the highest environmental specifications of Hitachi High-Tech's customers. Within the clean room envelope is a shielded room that will be used for the development and testing of the state-of-the-art metrology and inspection equipment that will deliver sub-nanometer performance specifications. The second floor of the MIC houses a secure environment in which customers can be at ease working in close collaboration with Hitachi High-Tech development personnel. Moreover, MIC Naka is creating a system that will give overseas Hitachi High-Tech Group companies around the clock remote access to the laboratory facilities so they can realize speedy testing and shortened development time for the new state-of-the-art metrology and inspection equipment. With these laboratory facilities, Hitachi High-Tech has built an R&D environment in which development of the equipment and performance evaluation by customers can proceed simultaneously.

Going forward, most of the demonstration and hands-on operational training functions for new metrology and inspection equipment will be consolidated at MIC Hikone^*. Correspondingly, MIC Naka will concentrate on the development of equipment and systems that are compatible with the cutting-edge processes evolving in semiconductor manufacturing.

With the completion of the MIC Naka, Hitachi High-Tech will significantly increase the value it provides to its semiconductor industry customers. Rapid capability advancements realized from collaborative upfront development will speed the leading-edge metrology and inspection technology availability and deployment.

Overview of the MIC Naka

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Metrology and Inspection Center Hikone: A facility opened in 2012 inside the Process
Technology Center of SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.'s Hikone Plant.
(https://www.hitachi-hightech.com/global/about/news/2012/nr20121204.html)