EditorialS O L U T I O N SYield Management

Autumn 1999 Yield Management Solutions4

S E C T I O N S

Negotiating the ever-changing terrain of the semiconductor industry, where lightning-fast shifts in technology can eliminate the need for a process, material or method almostovernight, can seem more challenging than scaling the highest mountain peak. Even themost experienced climber would never challenge Mount Everest alone, without the rightteam and tools for support. So too, must semiconductor manufacturers and equipmentmakers put collaboration skills as well as leading edge technology in their tool boxes,working together to create and implement successful methods to scale the peaks of semi-conductor technology cycles.

Throughout its history, the semiconductor equipment industry has existed in close lock-step with its customers. Indeed, the equipment industry found its genesis within theclosely guarded R&D facilities of the semiconductor producers themselves. Despite theinevitable creation of an independent industry, equipment makers have always retainedclose ties to their roots. One might theorize that neither industry could have thrivedwithout the stimulus, the challenge and the cooperation of the other. While at times thissymbiotic relationship chafes us, we all clearly benefit from it.

Today more than ever, the need for close cooperation is evident. Rapid adoption of newmethods and processes, such as copper interconnect, will require semiconductor andequipment companies to work together in assessing challenges and developing solutions.Neither side has all the pieces to engineer a viable result. And the timeframe for reach-ing productivity has never been shorter.

Collaboration is not easy, but it remains an essential “technology” that the best compa-nies have in their portfolio. Successful programs require that trust be earned and respon-sibility for results be assumed by both sides. The rewards can be tremendous. By sharingappropriate information and learning from each other, both sides of the semiconductormanufacturing and equipment equation can develop the expertise to scale this peak. Andfor now, that is our challenge . . . until the next peak rises in the distance.

C O R P O R AT E H E A D Q U A RT E R SKLA-Tencor Corporation160 Rio RoblesSan Jose, California 95134408.875.4200

I N T E R N AT I O N A L O F F I C E SKLA-Tencor France SARLEvry Cedex, France011 33 16 936 6969

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KLA-Tencor Japan Ltd.Yokohama, Japan011 81 45 335 8200

KLA-Tencor Korea Inc.Seoul, Korea011 822 41 50552

KLA-Tencor (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.Johor Bahru, Malaysia011 607 557 1946

KLA-Tencor (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.Singapore011 65 780 1088

KLA-Tencor Taiwan BranchHsinchu, Taiwan011 886 35 335163

KLA-Tencor LimitedWokingham, United Kingdom011 44 118 936 5700

ED I T O R- I N- CH I E FRoberta Emerson

MA N A G I N G ED I T O RKevin Clover

CO N T R I B U T I N G ED I T O R SKern Beare Judy DaleCarol Johnson Kavitha KannanViet Pham

ED I T O R I A L AS S I S TA N TRolando Gonzalez

ART DI R E C T O R A N D

PR O D U C T I O N MA N A G E RShirley Short

DE S I G N CO N S U LTA N T SCarlos Hueso Harry Wichmann

CI R C U L AT I O NCathy Correia

KLA-Tencor Worldwide

Roberta Emerson

Vice President, Corporate Communications

Yield ManagementS O L U T I O N S

An EssentialTechnology

COLLABORATION: