GENERAL INFORMATION
Established:  1993
Ownership:  Private

Core business

Computerized electro-optical measuring instruments for
controlling production of semiconductors.
Integrated process control systems in the semiconductor
manufacturing industry.

Employees:  170
Professionals:  150
Turnover (KUS$):  20,400

Overview

NOVA MEASURING INSTRUMENTS LTD. develops, produces and markets
monitoring and measurement systems for the semiconductor
manufacturing industry.

The company, founded in 1993, has pioneered the Integrated
Metrology concept and is now expanding its activities by
developing Integrated Monitoring and Process Control systems for
CMP, CVD, Photolithography and Etch manufacturing processes. The
company's Integrated Thickness Monitoring (ITM) systems for CMP
process control, delivering an unequaled degree of wafer-to-wafer
Closed Loop Control, have measured more wafers than all other
metrology companies combined.

The new developments of the company are based on the existing
integrated technological platform and the broad field experience
of the company. Nova has established OEM partnerships with the
major CMP tool manufacturers. They make their systems "NovaReady"
by finding on-tool space and providing wafer handling access and
minimal wiring for the ITM system which is a little larger than a
wafer, with a small optical head that scans the wafers. Applied
Materials, Ebara, Peter Wolters, SpeedFam-IPEC, Steag,
Strasbaugh, and others have made their systems "NovaReady",
making the installation of Nova's ITM systems a simple
"plug-and-play" process. Nova is strongly committed to its
multi-vendor policy and is establishing relationships with
different process equipment manufacturers for its new
developments.