Entegris, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENTG), a developer of specialty chemicals and advanced materials solutions for the microelectronics industry, announced today that it acquired Particle Sizing Systems, LLC (PSS), a company focused on particle sizing instrumentation for liquid applications in both semiconductor and life science industries.
This acquisition reflects Entegris’ value creation strategy by leveraging its global technology platform and customer relationships. The total purchase price of the acquisition was approximately $37 million in cash, subject to customary working capital adjustments. Entegris expects this transaction to be accretive to 2018 earnings.
Digital transformation continues to create a high demand for sophisticated cloud computing infrastructures that require the most advanced logic and memory chips available. However, advanced-node manufacturers already challenged by a continuously shrinking process window and high fab costs struggle to maintain yield and eliminate losses associated with CMP performance.
In advanced-node CMP applications, scratch defects are often caused by the agglomeration of slurry abrasive particles that have the potential to become a key factor in process yield performance. With the technology from PSS, Entegris is enabling customers to perform particle size analysis online and in real time, directly in the fluid stream process. Automating the monitoring process can lead to the application of more effective solutions like proper filter selection and system maintenance. This ability to intervene with these solutions prevents costly yield excursions.
“To stay competitive, our advanced-node customers need tools that allow them to shorten process times while maintaining accuracy and consistency in order to meet the high-quality standards of the manufacturers they partner with,” says Todd Edlund, Chief Operating Officer, Entegris. “PSS technology is unique in that it measures every particle in the slurry, making it more accurate than commonly used methods that employ averaging techniques. As a result, this technology eliminates the need for manual sampling and intervention, which is less efficient and runs a higher risk of slurry excursions.”