n&k Technology
n&k Technology Inc., founded 1992 in San Jose, California, designs and sells broadband DUV-Vis-NIR optical metrology systems (spectrophotometers, scatterometers, OCD tools) for thin-film and critical-dimension measurement, serving semiconductor, data storage, flat panel display, and photovoltaic manufacturers worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersSan Jose, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What n&k Technology does
n&k Technology Inc. is a privately held semiconductor metrology company founded in 1992 in San Jose, California, by Drs. Rahim Forouhi and Iris Bloomer. The company designs and manufactures optical metrology systems used to measure thin-film thickness, refractive index (n), extinction coefficient (k), energy band gap (Eg), and optical critical dimensions (OCD) of materials and structures used in semiconductor, data storage, flat panel display, and photovoltaic manufacturing. Its instruments are deployed across the production chain at fabs, foundries, specialty IC manufacturers, and research institutions, with named users including Samsung Electronics, Infineon Technologies, Honeywell, Fairchild Semiconductor, Du Pont Photomask, and Fudan University.
The company's underlying technology is the proprietary Forouhi-Bloomer (FB) dispersion equations, protected by 42 patents held by Dr. Forouhi, paired with a patented all-reflective optics architecture that enables broadband DUV-Vis-NIR reflectance and transmittance measurements with high signal-to-noise ratio. The product portfolio spans seven system families — the Olympian Series (flagship, 190–15,000 nm), OptiPrime-X (DUV-Vis-NIR with single-wavelength ellipsometer), OptiPrime, Gemini (simultaneous R/T for transparent substrates such as SiC, quartz, and flat panels), LittleFoot (compact tool for 200/150 mm wafers), 1500-D (specialized for hard-disk DLC and magnetic layers), and Benchtop Systems (R&D and academic). OCD analysis is performed using Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis (RCWA) on top of FB-derived optical constants.
Revenue is generated primarily through one-time hardware sales of metrology instruments, augmented by follow-on service and support contracts; pricing is quote-based on configuration and not publicly disclosed. n&k sells via direct enterprise engagement plus a network of roughly ten authorized regional representatives and distributors covering the US (CWI Technical Sales, C4Technology), Greater China (Challentech), Japan (Suzuki Co.), South Korea (SCINCO), Southeast Asia (Dymek Asia), and Western Europe (Teltec group in Germany, Belgium, Italy, and Singapore). The company employs 51–100 people and remains under the operating control of its co-founders, Dr. Forouhi as CEO and Dr. Bloomer as Executive Vice President, with no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or M&A activity.
n&k Technology firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- n&k Technology
- Legal name
- n&k Technology Inc.
- Website
- https://nandk.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- n&k Technology Inc., founded 1992 in San Jose, California, designs and sells broadband DUV-Vis-NIR optical metrology systems (spectrophotometers, scatterometers, OCD tools) for thin-film and critical-dimension measurement, serving semiconductor, data storage, flat panel display, and photovoltaic manufacturers worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
n&k Technology industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Semiconductor Metrology Equipment
- NAICS
- Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)
- SIC
- Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Lithography Equipment (DUV/EUV) (HDAHAEAA)
Keywords
Where n&k Technology is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Jose
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
n&k Technology business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Optical Metrology Systems Sales: Sale of optical metrology instruments including broadband spectrophotometers, scatterometers, and EUV lithography monitoring systems. Sales are typically one-time hardware purchases with potential for follow-on service and support contracts.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels1 record
n&k Technology product offering
Product offeringCore offering
n&k Technology designs, manufactures, and sells optical metrology systems for thin film and Trench/OCD (optical critical dimension) scatterometry applications. Its instruments use proprietary Forouhi-Bloomer dispersion equations and patented all-reflective optics to deliver broadband DUV-Vis-NIR reflectance and transmittance measurements for semiconductor, data storage, flat panel display, and photovoltaic manufacturers. The product family includes flagship Olympian, OptiPrime-X, OptiPrime, Gemini, LittleFoot, 1500-D, and Benchtop systems.
Product overview
n&k Technology offers a comprehensive family of optical metrology systems for thin film and Trench/OCD (optical critical dimension) scatterometry applications. The product portfolio centers on the Forouhi-Bloomer dispersion equations combined with patented all-reflective optics, providing the highest signal-to-noise ratio in the industry. The Olympian Series serves as the flagship system with the widest wavelength range (190nm-15,000nm), while the OptiPrime-X and OptiPrime Series offer DUV-Vis-NIR capabilities (190nm-1000nm) with the OptiPrime-X adding a single wavelength ellipsometer. The Gemini Series uniquely supports simultaneous Reflectance and Transmittance for transparent substrates. The LittleFoot Series provides a compact footprint (~40% smaller) for 200mm and 150mm wafers, the 1500-D Series is specialized for data storage/hard disk applications, and Benchtop Systems serve R&D and university environments. All systems share common core technology: patented all-reflective optics, broadband wavelength coverage, proprietary optical formulation, and analysis based on Forouhi-Bloomer dispersion equations combined with Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis (RCWA).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Olympian Series Flagship high-throughput DUV-Vis-IR scatterometer/thin film metrology system with micro-spot technology covering reflectance measurements from 190nm to 15,000nm, designed for the most challenging OCD and thin film applications in the semiconductor industry.
- OptiPrime-X Series High-throughput DUV-Vis-NIR scatterometer/thin film metrology system covering reflectance measurements from 190nm to 1000nm with micro-spot technology and a single wavelength ellipsometer at 633nm for monitoring Thin Film and Trench/OCD applications.
- OptiPrime Series High-throughput DUV-Vis-NIR scatterometer/thin film metrology system covering reflectance measurements from 190nm to 1000nm with micro-spot technology for monitoring Thin Film and Trench/OCD applications in high-volume production.
- Gemini Series Automated metrology system capable of simultaneous Reflectance and Transmittance measurements, ideal for applications with transparent substrates such as Photomasks, SiC Wafers, Quartz Wafers, and Flat Panels.
- LittleFoot Series Ultra-High Sensitivity Scatterometer with Thin Film measurement capabilities and reduced footprint (~40% smaller than competing tools) for 200mm and 150mm wafers, featuring automated operation meeting industry fab and foundry standards.
- 1500-D Series Ultra-High Resolution and Ultra-High Sensitivity Thin Film Measurement System designed specifically for hard disk applications, measuring unpolarized reflectance to determine optical properties (n and k) and thicknesses of diamond-like carbon (DLC) and magnetic layers.
- Benchtop Systems Versatile manual-load or semi-automated metrology systems for Thin Film or Trench/OCD applications, ideal for Research & Development sites, Labs, and Universities where cassette-to-cassette automation may not be necessary.
Companies that use n&k Technology
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
n&k Technology technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
n&k Technology partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- CWI Technical SalescoreRegional sales representative covering the Eastern United States territory, responsible for sales and customer support for n&k Technology optical metrology systems in the region.
- C4Technology, LLCcoreRegional sales representative covering the Northwest United States territory, distributing n&k Technology products to semiconductor and related manufacturers.
- Challentech International CorporationcoreAuthorized distributor for China territory, representing n&k Technology optical metrology systems in the Chinese semiconductor and materials markets.
- Dymek AsiacoreAuthorized distributor covering Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Philippines, providing sales and support for n&k Technology products in Southeast Asian markets.
- Suzuki Co., LtdcoreAuthorized distributor for Japan territory, representing n&k Technology optical metrology systems in the Japanese semiconductor and materials characterization markets.
- Teltec Pte LtdcoreAuthorized distributor covering Singapore, Malaysia, and Philippines, providing sales and distribution of n&k Technology products in Southeast Asian markets.
- Teltec Semiconductor technic SAcoreAuthorized distributor for Belgium, representing n&k Technology optical metrology systems in the Belgian and Benelux semiconductor markets.
- Teltec Semiconductor technic GmbHcoreAuthorized distributor for Germany, representing n&k Technology optical metrology systems in the German and broader European semiconductor markets.
- Teltec SRLcoreAuthorized distributor for Italy, representing n&k Technology optical metrology systems in the Italian semiconductor and materials markets.
- SCINCO Co., LtdcoreAuthorized distributor for South Korea, representing n&k Technology optical metrology systems in the Korean semiconductor and display manufacturing markets.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
n&k Technology competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- KLA Corporation: Largest process-control and metrology equipment vendor serving semiconductor fabs globally, with broad thin-film, OCD, defect, and inspection offerings. Directly comparable to n&k in optical thin-film and scatterometry product categories, but at vastly larger scale and broader modality coverage.
- Hitachi High-Tech: Provides a broad portfolio of semiconductor process-control metrology and inspection equipment, including CD-SEM and thin-film measurement systems. Overlaps with n&k in thin-film metrology and serves the same fab customer base, but as part of a much wider industrial instrumentation portfolio.
- Bruker Corporation: Manufactures a wide range of scientific and analytical instruments, including thin-film and surface characterization tools (e.g., optical and X-ray-based metrology). Comparable to n&k in the analytical instrumentation category, particularly for thin-film and materials characterization use cases.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: Diversified analytical instrument manufacturer serving materials characterization, semiconductor process control, and research applications. Comparable in the analytical-instruments category with significant overlap in thin-film measurement, though at much broader and larger scale than n&k.
- Carl Zeiss SMT: Subsidiary of Carl Zeiss offering semiconductor mask inspection and metrology equipment, including actinic EUV mask inspection systems. Comparable in EUV mask/photomask and optical inspection — a direct adjacency to n&k's Gemini Series photomask metrology applications.
- SCREEN Holdings: Supplies semiconductor cleaning, coating, and process-control equipment including thin-film measurement systems. Overlaps with n&k in thin-film measurement for semiconductor manufacturing and serves similar leading-edge fab customers.
Direct peers
- Onto Innovation: Formed from the merger of Nanometrics and Rudolph Technologies, Onto Innovation is a direct competitor in optical critical dimension (OCD) scatterometry and thin-film metrology for semiconductor process control — closely overlapping with n&k's OptiPrime and Olympian product lines.
- Nova Measuring Instruments: Israel-based specialist in optical metrology for semiconductor process control, particularly optical CD and thin-film measurement. Nova is a close direct competitor to n&k in the same OCD scatterometry and DUV-Vis-NIR thin-film metrology space serving leading fabs.
- Lasertec Corporation: Specialist in photomask inspection and EUV-related metrology, serving the same semiconductor process-control customer base as n&k. Highly relevant peer given n&k's EUV monitoring capability and Gemini Series photomask applications.
Emerging players
- Park Systems: Specializes in atomic force microscopy (AFM) and nanometrology tools for semiconductor and research applications. Adjacent to n&k as an emerging specialist in advanced-node metrology, with partial overlap where customers combine AFM and optical characterization.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
n&k Technology social profiles
Digital presencen&k Technology financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
n&k Technology leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
n&k Technology funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
n&k Technology M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about n&k Technology
What does n&k Technology do?
n&k Technology designs, manufactures, and sells optical metrology systems for thin film and Trench/OCD (optical critical dimension) scatterometry applications. Its instruments use proprietary Forouhi-Bloomer dispersion equations and patented all-reflective optics to deliver broadband DUV-Vis-NIR reflectance and transmittance measurements for semiconductor, data storage, flat panel display, and photovoltaic manufacturers. The product family includes flagship Olympian, OptiPrime-X, OptiPrime, Gemini, LittleFoot, 1500-D, and Benchtop systems.
Is n&k Technology a public or private company?
n&k Technology is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was n&k Technology founded?
n&k Technology was founded in 1992. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is n&k Technology based?
n&k Technology is headquartered in San Jose, United States, in the North America region.
How does n&k Technology make money?
One revenue line is on record: optical Metrology Systems Sales.
Who are n&k Technology's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are KLA Corporation, Hitachi High-Tech, Bruker Corporation, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Carl Zeiss SMT and SCREEN Holdings. Direct peers are Onto Innovation, Nova Measuring Instruments and Lasertec Corporation. Park Systems is listed as an emerging player.
Does n&k Technology have an API?
No public API is recorded for n&k Technology.
What industry is n&k Technology in?
n&k Technology's product category is Semiconductor Metrology Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHAEAA, Lithography Equipment (DUV/EUV). Its NAICS code is 334516 and its SIC code is 3827.