SENSARRAY INTRODUCES INDUSTRY’S FIRST FIELD INSTALLABLE SENSORS FOR FLAT PANEL DISPLAY PROCESS OPTIMIZATION

Process Probe 2050 Expands Product Line with Economic and Convenient Solution for
Instrumentation of Glass Panels

FREMONT, Calif., Febraury 2, 2004
SensArray® Corporation, an innovative provider of process optimization tools for flat panel and semiconductor fabrication, today announced availability of the Process Probe® 2050 glass panel sensor instrumented template. An economical and convenient alternative to factory-instrumented glass panels, the Process Probe 2050 performs precise, in situ characterization of glass temperature profiles for chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), and other flat panel display (FPD) process applications.

Consumer demand for large flat panel televisions is driving the need for lower cost and more reliable production of high-quality flat panel displays. With glass size reaching the dimensions of a California king mattress, the need for monitoring temperature to ensure panel quality and yield becomes increasingly important; however shipping costs to and from the manufacturer for instrumentation of TC sensors onto the thin, fragile glass have become prohibitive.

Using a flexible, thin plastic template with sensor-embedded glass chips attached, the patent pending Process Probe 2050 enables users to mount the sensors to the glass themselves at their site, saving significant time and expense, without sacrificing accuracy and reliability. The template also allows for easy field repairs and rework.

“The Process Probe 2050 is the first field-installable process optimization tool on the market that allows flat panel manufacturers to improve equipment performance and panel quality, while reducing cost of ownership,” said Mei Sun, vice president, sensor engineering, SensArray. “The 2050 provides our FPD customers with the accuracy and reliability that they have come to expect from SensArray for fine-tuning their process conditions, but with the added advantages of flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and convenience. As customer requirements evolve, so do SensArray solutions.”

Using the Process Probe 2050 users can measure glass temperature directly in real time during each critical step in their process cycle, including loading, temperature ramping, steady-state, cool-down, and unloading, allowing them to determine edge-to-center temperature differentials and to optimize cycle time by directly measuring thermal stabilization time of panels within the load. Temperature measurements are acquired using a SensArray hand-held Thermal TRACK™ measurement system or Thermal MAP® metrology system with advanced analysis features.

Based on proven SensArray Process Probe technology, the Process Probe 2050 provides reliable performance with NIST-traceable accuracy of ± 1.1°C or ± 0.4% of reading. All specifications are maintained over a wide operating temperature range of 0° to 450°C. Any number of sensors – up to 34 – can be built into the template and the template can be sized to accommodate any size glass panel available on the market today. A patented bonding technique ensures reliable thermal contact between the TC sensors and the glass panel.

SensArray provides training to help customer personnel learn how to use the easy installation kit. Or, a SensArray field engineer can be contracted to visit the customer site for application of the sensors using the template. Alternately, the glass can be shipped to SensArray for instrumentation. Using the quick and convenient Process Probe 2050, factory instrumentation is still less expensive that with other factory-installed methods.

The Process Probe 2050 glass panel sensor instrumented template is currently available in the United States, Europe, and Asia. To request additional information or to order the product, please contact SensArray Corporation at 510-360-5600 or visit www.sensarray.com.

About SensArray

SensArray is an innovative provider of process optimization tools for semiconductor and flat panel fabrication. SensArray solutions for dynamic and static optimization allow manufacturers to manage equipment and processing environments, and provide increased control of critical parameters during manufacturing. By optimizing fabrication processes, SensArray products help to make processes more reliable, providing for improved output, and the more economic manufacture of high performance products.

Based in Fremont, California, SensArray is privately held and has offices in Japan, Taiwan, and Korea, with international representatives in Asia and Europe. SensArray is ISO 9001-2000 certified. For additional information about SensArray and its products, please visit www.sensarray.com.