Asian Photomask Supplier Places Double Order for Micronic TFT-LCD Photomask Tools

Taby, Sweden – February 1, 2005 – Micronic Laser Systems today announced that a major Asian photomask supplier has placed a double order for one LRS15000 series laser pattern generator and one MMS15000 TFT-LCD photomask metrology system,. Both tools are expected to be delivered to the customer during this year.

“Micronic’s LRS15000 series tools have become increasingly attractive to customers as they continue to invest in production tools that can handle the large photomasks required for generation 7 TFT production”, said Sven Lofquist, Micronic president and CEO. “Micronic’s MMS15000 has received a broad acceptance in the market place since its introduction in 2003, providing clear evidence that photomask shops need high-performance measuring systems in order to be competitive.” Micronic's LRS15000 combines accurate writing performance with a 1300 x 1500 mm stage, enabling the production of generation 7 TFT-LCD and color filter photomasks. The MMS15000 is a registration measurement system for TFT-LCD photomasks. The system is used to verify that the pattern placement on large area photomasks matches the high accuracy demands of advanced displays, a critical requirement in the production of advanced LCDs. The MMS15000 is based on the same production-proven technology as Micronic’s laser pattern generators. The system offers registration measurement accuracy of better than 100 nm and is capable of performing measurements on photomask as large as 1300 x 1500 mm. LCD (liquid crystal display) is the most common technology for flat panel displays. It is used in many applications such as computer monitors, laptop displays, mobile phones and the fast-growing LCD-TV market. Company contact: Carl-Johan Blomberg CFO Tel: +46 8 638 52 00 carl-johan.blomberg@micronic.se Agency contact: Luz Rodriguez Loomis Group, Inc Tel: +33 1 58 18 59 30 rodriguezl@loomisgroup.com