Nanometrics
Nanometrics is a U.S.-based, publicly traded (NASDAQ:NANO) supplier of advanced process control metrology and inspection systems used by semiconductor manufacturers to measure, monitor, and control critical fab process steps.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1975
- HeadquartersMilpitas, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Nanometrics does
Nanometrics, founded in 1975 and headquartered in Milpitas, California, is a public company (NASDAQ:NANO) that supplies advanced, high-performance process control metrology and inspection systems primarily to the semiconductor industry. Its products are used by fab operators to measure and control critical process steps, with the company's offerings spanning optical metrology, thin-film measurement, and defect-detection capabilities built up through long-standing R&D and a multi-decade acquisition program.
The company's technology portfolio has been expanded through at least six disclosed acquisitions, including Optical Specialties – Metra Semiconductor (1998), Soluris (2006), Accent Optical Technologies (2006, ~$80.9M), Tevet Process Control Technologies (2008), Nanda Technologies (2011), and 4D Technology (2018), each adding capabilities in process control, optical measurement, or inspection. With 501–1,000 employees, Nanometrics operates as a specialist equipment vendor selling capital systems to global semiconductor manufacturers, generating revenue through equipment sales, likely supplemented by service and support contracts tied to its installed base.
Nanometrics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nanometrics
- Website
- https://nanometrics.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1975
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Nanometrics is a U.S.-based, publicly traded (NASDAQ:NANO) supplier of advanced process control metrology and inspection systems used by semiconductor manufacturers to measure, monitor, and control critical fab process steps.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nanometrics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Semiconductor Metrology Equipment
- NAICS
- Semiconductor Machinery Manufacturing (333242), Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519)
- SIC
- Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Metrology, Inspection & Process Control Equipment (HDAHAEAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Metrology, Inspection & Machine Tool Accessories (CMMs, Probing, Gauging) (IMAHADAK)
Keywords
Where Nanometrics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Milpitas
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Nanometrics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Nanometrics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Nanometrics designs, manufactures, and sells advanced, high-performance process control metrology and inspection systems used primarily in the semiconductor industry. Its systems are used for wafer characterization, thin film measurement, and in-line process control during semiconductor device fabrication.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Process Control Metrology Systems
- Semiconductor Inspection Systems
Companies that use Nanometrics
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles1 record
Nanometrics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Nanometrics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Nanometrics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hitachi High-Tech: Hitachi High-Tech offers CD-SEM, defect inspection, and process control equipment for semiconductor fabs. It competes directly with Nanometrics in metrology tools used at advanced nodes.
- Camtek: Camtek provides inspection and metrology systems primarily for advanced packaging, semiconductor, and PCB applications. It overlaps with Nanometrics in wafer-level inspection and is a relevant mid-cap process control peer.
- KLA Corporation: KLA is the dominant process control and yield management equipment supplier for the semiconductor industry. It directly competes with Nanometrics across metrology, inspection, and process control, serving the same foundry, memory, and IDM customers.
- Rudolph Technologies: Pre-merger peer providing macro defect inspection, thin-film metrology, and process control. Rudolph merged with Nanometrics in 2019, but historical overlap makes it a direct comparability reference for the legacy Nanometrics product portfolio.
- Nova Measuring Instruments: Nova provides optical metrology and process control solutions for advanced semiconductor manufacturing. It is a pure-play direct peer in in-line metrology used by foundries and memory manufacturers.
- Onto Innovation: Onto Innovation was formed by the 2019 merger of Nanometrics and Rudolph Technologies. It is the closest direct peer in optical metrology, macro defect inspection, and process control software for advanced semiconductor nodes.
Broad incumbents
- ASML: ASML dominates lithography and adjacent metrology (eYield, computational lithography). While primarily litho-focused, ASML's expanding process control footprint makes it a broad incumbent peer for advanced-node fabs served by Nanometrics.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: Thermo Fisher supplies analytical, electron microscopy, and process control instruments used in semiconductor R&D and production. Its specialty instruments business overlaps with Nanometrics in metrology-adjacent measurement tools.
- Applied Materials: Applied Materials is a broad incumbent in semiconductor manufacturing equipment with a growing process control and inspection portfolio. It competes with Nanometrics both directly (metrology) and through bundle-level economics at customer fabs.
Emerging players
- Toray Engineering: Toray Engineering provides semiconductor and FPD manufacturing equipment, including inspection-related solutions. It is a smaller, emerging peer in selected inspection and metrology categories where Nanometrics also competes.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Nanometrics social profiles
Digital presenceNanometrics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nanometrics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Nanometrics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nanometrics M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A6 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Nanometrics
What does Nanometrics do?
Nanometrics designs, manufactures, and sells advanced, high-performance process control metrology and inspection systems used primarily in the semiconductor industry. Its systems are used for wafer characterization, thin film measurement, and in-line process control during semiconductor device fabrication.
When was Nanometrics founded?
Nanometrics was founded in 1975. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Nanometrics based?
Nanometrics is headquartered in Milpitas, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Nanometrics's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hitachi High-Tech, Camtek, KLA Corporation, Rudolph Technologies, Nova Measuring Instruments and Onto Innovation. Broad incumbents are ASML, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Applied Materials. Toray Engineering is listed as an emerging player.
Does Nanometrics have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nanometrics.
What industry is Nanometrics in?
Nanometrics's product category is Semiconductor Metrology Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHAEAH, Metrology, Inspection & Process Control Equipment, with a secondary code of IMAHADAK, Metrology, Inspection & Machine Tool Accessories (CMMs, Probing, Gauging). Its NAICS code is 333242 and its SIC code is 3829.