MicroSense LLC of Lowell,MA,USA,which provides high-resolution capacitive position sensors,metrology modules and high-sensitivity magnetic metrology tools,has added wafer inspection tools to its portfolio by acquiring SigmaTech Inc of Tempe,AZ.
MicroSense's patented capacitive sensors are used to make precise,high-bandwidth measurements of products such as solar wafers,air-bearing spindles and precision X-Y stages in equipment such as wafer lithography systems,solar wafer sorters,nanopositioning stages,and metrology tools.
SigmaTech offers automated metrology solutions for a broad range of standard and specific applications in the field of semiconductor wafers,materials and optics.In particular,the firm has developed high-sensitivity metrology tools for LED,MEMS(micro-electro-mechanical system)and semiconductor manufacturing.
SigmaTech's systems integrate multiple sensing technologies such as optical spectrometry,interferometry and the firm's patented auto-positioning back pressure(APBP)technology.MicroSense aims to integrate its capacitance sensors into SigmaTech's metrology platforms.
"This acquisition makes excellent sense as it marries our leading capacitance sensing technology with SigmaTech's field-proven,highly reliable metrology platform to provide highly stable and repeatable wafer metrology systems for targeted applications,"says MicroSense's chairman&CEO James Pelusi."SigmaTech's customers and prospects will continue to be supported by the existing SigmaTech employees,all of whom will stay with the combined business,and will also benefit from the additional resources,infrastructure and the decades of metrology experience that MicroSense will bring to the business,"he adds.
"Their high-resolution capacitive sensor technology provides an ideal path to increasing throughput of our metrology systems and expanding the field of applications,"comments SigmaTech's founder Jacques Fauque about MicroSense.Fauque will remain with the business and continue to lead its development.
