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Onto Innovation Inc. is an American semiconductor company formed in 2019 from the merger of Rudolph Technologies, Inc. and Nanometrics Incorporated. Onto Innovation is traded as NYSE: ONTO on the New York Stock Exchange, it is a provider of process and process control equipment and software for microelectronic manufacturing industries (primarily semiconductor). The company's product offering includes automated defect inspection and metrology systems, probe card test and analysis systems, and lithography step-and-repeat systems. In addition, Onto Innovation provides a broad range of software products designed to improve yield, control processes and reduce manufacturing costs.
Rudolph Technologies, Inc. (RTI) traces its origins to 1940, when Otto Curt Rudolph formed O.C. Rudolph & Sons, Inc. Originally an importer of microscopes and scientific instruments, this RTI predecessor was renamed in October 1970 to Rudolph Research Corporation. The company designed optical equipment for laboratories and universities.
The company Otto Rudolph established continued to evolve, making breakthroughs in ellipsometry including the first production-oriented ellipsometer for thin, transparent film measurements. The company continued development of its metrology products, securing new patents along the way.
Nanometrics was founded in 1975 and was a pioneer and innovator in the field of optical metrology. In 1984, the company started publicly trading.
In June 1996, Richard Spanier, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Rudolph Research, forged a partnership agreement with Boston-based Riverside Partners and New York-based Liberty Partners who, along with others, invested in the company. At that time, Dr. Spanier retired his active role in the company and semiconductor industry veteran Paul F. McLaughlin was named as CEO. In August 1999, the name of the company was changed to Rudolph Technologies, Inc.
In November 1999, RTI made its initial public offering of common stock. Revenues grew dramatically, reaching a record $38.1 million. A new facility opened early in the year, and the company launched a new product, the MetaPULSE® line of copper film measurement tools.
The company is now headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts, with additional U.S. operations in New Jersey, Minnesota, California, Texas, Oregon and Washington. Manufacturing operations for inspection and some metrology products are consolidated in Minnesota; most metrology manufacturing operations is in California; stepper manufacturing is located in Wilmington, Massachusetts.