Lithography tool sales at Canon have declined further, due to lack of demand specifically from the memory manufacturing sector, the company said. Canon sold only four lithography tools in the first quarter of 2009, none were leading-edge 193nm ArF systems.
Canon expects sales of lithography tools in 2009 to be below its previous guidance due to semiconductor companies revised capital spending plans. Canon said it had sold 99 lithography systems in 2008, but expected only 16 unit sales in its FY2009.
The revised forecast includes sales of only 2 ArF systems, 2 KrF systems and 6 i-line systems in FY2009, bring the total down to 10.