Nikon 2001 Annual Report Download - page 8

page 6
Continuous efforts are being
made on the development of next-
generation lithography technology.
Precision Equipment
In the fiscal year ended March 2001, capital investment by semiconductor
manufacturers, both in Japan and abroad, reached a very high level. Towards the end
of the year, however, a slowdown in sales of personal computers and mobile phones
implied signs of an impending cyclical downturn. Total segment net sales increased
by 36.3% to ¥234,808 million, while operating income soared 386.3%, to ¥44,487
million.
IC steppers led the strong sales performance. In particular, excimer steppers were
the industry’s choice for cutting-edge DRAM and microprocessor production
applications, while i-line steppers met the needs of flash memory chip fabrication. The
commercialization of a new KrF excimer stepper, the NSR-S205C, allowed
manufacturers to mass produce advanced devices featuring line widths of less than
0.15 micrometers.
The Nikon Group also made additional investments in facilities at the Kumagaya
Plant, substantially boosting production capacity. With the creation of a local
subsidiary in Singapore to facilitate support for sales and customer service
throughout Southeast Asia, and the strengthening of a more performance-oriented
management structure, the Group was able to realize significant progress over the
previous year’s results.
LCD steppers also contributed to the strong showing. LCD panel manufacturers
invested heavily to keep pace with changing market needs as LCD display
applications expanded and substrate sizes continued to increase. Nikon in turn also
raised its production capacity to respond to customer demand, while also developing
new products with improved performance profiles. Featuring a new projection optical
system and a scanning exposure mechanism designed to increase exposure area and
improve throughput, the FX-21S LCD stepper provided a stellar performance. Overall,
the entire LCD stepper product line posted substantial sales gains.
With semiconductor manufacturers likely to cut back the pace of capital
investment, the short-term outlook is not so bright. The Nikon Group is committed to
increasing production of the ArF excimer stepper, while development efforts on next-
generation stepper technologies continues apace. The accumulated number of units
of Nikon stepper systems shipped around the world exceeded 6,500. The Nikon
Group is expanding after-sales businesses for these systems. Such businesses are
expected to generate steady sales growth over many years to come.