1996 - 2000

• RAVE LLC was registered in August of 1996 by founders Victor Kley (General Nanotechnology LLC), Frank Lundy (Technical Instruments San Francisco), and Barry Hopkins (RAVE LLC CEO), to implement the use of AFM equipment technology in a revolutionary new approach for repairing extremely small defects on critical level advanced photomasks.
  
  
• A Concept & Feasibility study was initiated in 1997 under a grant from industry consortium SEMATECH to demonstrate application of the technology. The project was successfully completed and reported to SEMATECH members in 1998.
  
  
• With additional funding assistance from SEMATECH, an Equipment Development Project was initiated in 1998 and completed in 2000 to build the first 130 nanometer technology node nanomachining photomask repair system (the nm1300 Mask Repair System). The nm1300 System incorporated advances in AFM technology through an SXM platform, General Nanotechnology licensed AFM Guided Nanomachining (AGN) techniques, and General Nanotechnology’s proprietary Probe software to provide a unique solution to the mask repair industry.
  
  
• RAVE relocates its headquarters from California to Florida and expands operations.

2001 - 2002

• The first nm1300 Mask Repair System is put into production at a leading European Photomask operation in 2001.
  
  
• The nm1300 Mask Repair System begins to play a key role in the advanced mask technology that keeps the Semiconductor Industry in concert with Moore’s Law through the 130 nanometer design rule node and beyond.
  
  
• Funded by company sales, the RAVE technical team begins development on the 2nd Generation nanomachining mask repair system, the nm650.
  
  

2003 - 2004

• RAVE introduces and installs the first nm650, a 90 nanometer design rule capable advanced mask repair tool.
  
  
• The RAVE technical team begins development on its 3rd Generation (all digital) nanomachining mask repair system, the nm650de, and launches parallel development of a unique new fast pulse laser mask repair system, the fp650.
  
  

2005 - 2006

• RAVE introduces and installs the first nm650de, a 65 nanometer design rule capable advanced mask repair tool.
  
  
• RAVE introduces and installs the first >fp650, a 65 nanometer design rule capable laser mask repair tool.
  
  
• RAVE obtains No. 1 global market share position in advanced mask repair equipment.
  
  
• The RAVE technical team begins development on its fourth Generation nanomachining mask repair system, the nm450.
  
  
• RAVE introduces and installs the first nm450, a 45 nanometer design rule capable advanced mask repair tool.
  
  

Today

• RAVE is now shipping its production version nm450 Nanomachining System and fp650 Laser System. The nm450 reliability and performance specifications make it capable of production level 45nm technology node mask repairs and more than suitable for 32nm technology node mask development. The fp650 is designed to replace existing obsolete/older laser and FIB repair systems with its very high-speed and precision mask repair solutions. The successful delivery and acceptance of these next generation systems has once again set RAVE apart as the production standard for advanced mask repair technology.
  
  
• RAVE has developed and commercialized four successive generations of nanomachining mask repair tools and has launched a new product line of laser mask repair tools. RAVE maintains the No. 1 market share position for advanced mask repair equipment World Wide with advanced systems placed in virtually every region of the world, supporting semiconductor design rules at and below 45 nanometer nodes. RAVE has become a major global equipment supplier with its customer base supported by a global distribution network, backed by an unrivalled applications and field support organization.