Carl Zeiss SMT Acquires ALIS Corporation
Start-up company for Helium-based microscopy to extend Carl Zeiss SMT's technology portfolio
Oberkochen, Germany & Peabody/MA - Carl Zeiss SMT has acquired 100% of the shares of ALIS Corporation, Peabody, USA for its Nano Technology Systems Division (NTS). ALIS´ newly developed helium ion microscopy technology will add an important building block to Carl Zeiss SMT´s existing portfolio of charged-particle technologies aimed at nano-scale imaging, structuring and analysis applications. The acquisition of ALIS Corporation further expands Carl Zeiss SMT´s global leadership position as enabler for industrial nanotechnology solutions and academic research.
Dr. Dirk Stenkamp, Managing Director of Carl Zeiss NTS, states: "The Helium ion microscopy technology developed by ALIS complements our market leading scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technology and will be a key element of our future technology roadmap. It offers unrivalled opportunities for sub-nanometer imaging, depth-of-focus capabilities and new image contrast features. This will enable our customers in semiconductor manufacturing, materials and life science applications to further push existing technical boundaries and to meet their roadmap requirements beyond the current decade".
ALIS Corporation, founded in 2005 by Bill Ward, Nick Economou and Dave Hunter, is a developer of next-generation, atomic-level helium ion microscopy. This technology targets at substantially improved resolution and faster image acquisition over existing electron microscopes. The company currently employs 36 scientists and engineers.
Bill Ward, President and CEO of ALIS Corporation, together with his team, is excited to join Carl Zeiss SMT: „To be part of a leading global company opens new opportunities to advance this disruptive technology and will decisively accelerate the market readiness of our solution".
Carl Zeiss SMT has acquired 100% of the shares of ALIS Corporation from a group of financial sponsors and strategic investors. CIBC World Markets acted as advisor to ALIS Corporation. ALIS will be closely integrated within the Nanotechnology Systems Division of Carl Zeiss SMT. The acquisition is expected to close during the third quarter of 2006.
SOURCE: Carl Zeiss SMT