Cymer Inc. has found its fortunes soaring recently along with the resurgence of the semiconductor industry. The company is a leading supplier of excimer laser light sources, essential for deep ultraviolet photolithography. Cymer's direct customers — ASM Lithography, Canon, Nikon, SVG Lithography and Ultratech Stepper Photolithography — incorporate Cymer's excimer laser illumination sources into tools called scanners and steppers. These tools are then sold to semiconductor chip manufacturers. Cymer technology affects virtually all major chip makers. The excimer laser light source helps the semiconductor industry meet its need for bigger volume and smaller chips.

The company was founded in January 1986, starting with only three employees. Today, in 37 locations around the world, it has about 760 employees, 620 in San Diego. It does its research and development in San Diego and has a manufacturing partnership with the Japanese firm Seiko Instruments Inc. Cymer has been expanding its sales and support centers, which are located in the United States, Europe, Japan, Israel and the Asia/Pacific region. Since its inception, Robert P. Akins has served as its president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board. The co-founder of the company brought impressive credentials. He earned three degrees from UCSD — a bachelor's in physics, another in literature and a Ph.D. in applied physics. Prior to Cymer, Atkins worked for HLX Inc., a manufacturer of laser defense systems.

The company went public Sept. 19, 1996, when shares were traded at $9.50. But demand for chips, produced with the help of excimer lasers, boosted Cymer's business dramatically. The company split its stock at two for one in September 1997. Cymer's shares were trading at $53.38 as of Feb. 22, with market capital of $1.5 billion. The company reports success with its latest product, the ELS-6000 2 kHz krypton fluoride laser, and sales of Cymer's spare parts, service and upgrade kits are increasing, accounting for 31.6 percent of total revenues during the fourth quarter of 1999.

In the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, Cymer's income rose 240 percent over the previous year, from $2.5 million, or 9 cents a share, in 1998 to $8.9 million, or 29 cents, last year. Total 1999 revenues were $220.45 million, up 19 percent from $185.1 million the previous year.

"The strong improvement in Cymer's financial performance is a reflection of the semiconductor industry's continued recovery and the growing acceptance of our products and services," says Akins.

— Lynne Carrier