EV Group Strengthens Presence in Middle East With Order Win From King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

Top university selects EVG systems on strength of flexible technology, local service and support

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Sep 23, 2010, 09:00 ET

ST. FLORIAN, Austria, Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- EV Group (EVG), a leading supplier of wafer bonding and lithography equipment for the MEMS, nanotechnology and semiconductor markets, today announced it has shipped an EVG520IS semi-automated wafer bonding system and two EVG6200 automated alignment systems to King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia. Students at the graduate-level institution will use the EVG equipment for advanced technology research and development, including projects outsourced to KAUST from technology firms in the region.

EVG's first customer headquartered in the Middle East, KAUST opened in September 2009 and boasts the largest, most modern cleanroom within the Arab states that comprise the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Oman. A key win for the company, this order is testament to EVG's ability to deliver world-class technology and customer support for its customers centered in emerging new markets, particularly at the R&D level. In the past year alone, EVG has received orders to support a breadth of R&D and university-related projects from the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of Michigan's Lurie Nanofabrication Facility, the Institute of Microelectronics in Singapore, Europe's Imec, and the RFID/USN Center in Korea.

KAUST chose the EVG equipment based on several key capabilities, chief among them being the systems' modularity and flexibility. The university plans to utilize one EVG6200 for bond alignment and nanoimprint lithography (NIL), and the other for lithography mask alignment. According to Dr. Xixiang Zhang, Manager of the Nanofabrication, Imaging & Characterization Core Lab of KAUST, "We were impressed with the EVG systems' performance and ability to multitask, which will be of great value in working on the variety of research projects that the university is undertaking. Moreover, EV Group has proven its ability to provide us with excellent onsite process and application support so that our local needs can be met quickly and efficiently."

EV Group Executive Technology Director Paul Lindner noted, "Working with KAUST is an important milestone for EVG, as technology activity in this region of the world continues to expand. Moreover, working with this prestigious institution marks a further step in our partnering with leading universities and research firms around the world in their efforts to develop solutions to today's challenges as well as explore advancements that will address future needs."

About EV Group

EV Group (EVG) is a world leader in wafer-processing solutions for semiconductor, MEMS and nanotechnology applications. Through close collaboration with its global customers, the company implements its flexible manufacturing model to develop reliable, high-quality, low-cost-of-ownership systems that are easily integrated into customers' fab lines. Key products include wafer bonding, lithography/nanoimprint lithography (NIL) and metrology equipment, as well as photoresist coaters, cleaners and inspection systems.

In addition to its dominant share of the market for wafer bonders, EVG holds a leading position in NIL and lithography for advanced packaging and MEMS. Along these lines, the company co-founded the EMC- 3D consortium in 2006 to create and help drive implementation of a cost-effective through-silicon via (TSV) process for major ICs and MEMS/sensors. Other target semiconductor-related markets include silicon-on-insulator (SOI), compound semiconductor and silicon-based power-device solutions.

Founded in 1980, EVG is headquartered in St. Florian, Austria, and operates via a global customer support network, with subsidiaries in Tempe, Ariz.; Albany, N.Y.; Yokohama and Fukuoka, Japan; Seoul, Korea and Chung-Li, Taiwan. The company's unique Triple i-approach (invent - innovate - implement) is supported by a vertical integration, allowing EVG to respond quickly to new technology developments, apply the technology to manufacturing challenges and expedite device manufacturing in high volume. More information is available at www.EVGroup.com.

SOURCE EV Group