| ESI's NWR Division Advances High Brightness LED Laser Scribing with Industry's First Real-Time Dynamic AutoFocus Scribing Solution SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 18, 2008-- Electro Scientific Industries (Nasdaq: ESIO), a
leading provider of world-class photonic and laser systems for microengineering applications, today
announced that its NWR Division has fully qualified the industry's first Real-Time Dynamic AutoFocus
Scribing Solution, the AccuScribe 2150, at a key customer in Taiwan. The innovative automated solution,
the latest addition to the AccuScribe 21xx platform, has surpassed standard production scribing quality for
High-Brightness Light-Emitting Diode (HBLED) manufacturing. The system is expected to ship before the end of ESI's first fiscal 2009 quarter.
"With new HBLED process control requirements becoming more critical to produce higher brightness and
higher yielding devices, our customers require new solutions to meet these challenging processes," noted
Pei Hsien Fang, vice president of ESI's NWR Division. "Our new AccuScribe 2150 Dynamic AutoFocus
system utilizes a novel, cutting-edge technology to control the optimal focus positions of the sample
surface, irrespective of wafer shape. This automated platform enables increased production capacity at
the best possible CoO to the customer, and allows us to enter previously unattainable markets."
Under a Joint Development Program, ESI's NWR Division worked together with the HBLED manufacturer
in Taiwan to qualify this advanced, production-worthy scribing technique, displacing tools-of-record. This
specialized, automated technique for precision-controlled focus scribing enables shorter cycle-times and
reduces scribing yield failures in the production environment. Without this critical process control
capability, HBLED manufacturers generally experience reduced system utilizations as operators
continuously have to manually monitor their production processes.
About the AccuScribe 21xx Series
The AccuScribe 21xx series is the latest industry-leading scribing platform unleashed by ESI's NWR
Division. It provides the greatest innovation to HBLED scribing available in the market today. The
AccuScribe 2150 retains the highest alignment success rate, positioning accuracy, throughput, and
Automated-Partial-Wafer solution in the industry. By utilizing the latest existing high-performance UV
DPSS laser technology, the 2150 also supports 100-mm wafer capability. The pioneering technology
enables real-time focus tracking across wafer substrates compensating for wafer process variations and
surface topography changes. This, in turn, increases singulation yield and eliminates detrimental scribing
device failures.
About ESI, Inc.
ESI is a pioneer and leading supplier of world-class photonics and laser systems that help its
microelectronics customers achieve compelling yield and productivity gains. The company's industryleading,
application-specific products enhance electronic-device performance in three key sectors --
semiconductors, components and electronic interconnect -- by enabling precision fine-tuning of device
microfeatures in high-volume manufacturing environments. Founded in 1944, ESI is headquartered in
Portland, Ore. More information is available at www.esi.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements concerning the timing of systems shipments.
Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties
that may affect the forward-looking statements include: the relative strength and volatility of the electronics
industry -- which is dependent on many factors including component prices, global economic strength and
political stability, and overall demand for electronic devices (such as capacitors) used in computers, flat
panel displays, automotive applications, and video games; the risk that customer orders may be canceled
or delayed; and the risk of manufacturing, supply or shipment disruptions or delays.
CONTACT: ESI
SOURCE: Electro Scientific Industries
For more information, contact New Wave Research, Inc., 48660 Kato Rd., Fremont, CA 94538, NWR_lasers@esi.com, (510) 249-1550. Web: www.new-wave.com
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