MIGDAL HA'EMEK, Israel, March 18 /PRNewswire/ --

Jordan Valley Semiconductors (JVS) has named Paul Ryan, PhD as Corporate VP and UK site manager. In his new role, he will be responsible for Operations and Engineering at the JVS' UK facility. Dr. Ryan has successfully served as Director of Technology since the acquisition of Bede Scientific last year, demonstrating strong leadership in the high-resolution X-Ray Diffraction (HRXRD) technology for JVS worldwide and managing the Technology and Engineering team located in our UK facility. Dr. Ryan has a solid background in Materials Physics, paired with a PhD in growth and characterization of magnetic multi-layers. Jordan Valley Semiconductors is proud to confirm our commitment to the long-term future of both the Jordan Valley Semiconductors UK facility located in Durham and the technology gained by adding the prior Bede product line to Jordan Valley Semiconductors family of integrated products.

Dr. Ryan is a world-renowned authority in X-Ray metrology and a leading researcher in the field, commented Isaac Mazor, JVS Chairman and CEO. I am pleased that he has accepted the position, and I am looking forward to realizing his contribution to Jordan Valley and its customers. Mr. Mazor added, Dr. Ryan's appointment demonstrates the importance that Jordan Valley assigns to strain engineering as a key enabling technology for ensuring yield in the production of semiconductor devices in 32nm technology node and beyond. It also indicates Jordan Valley's on-going commitment to the future of the HRXRD technology and to the UK operation.

About HRXRD Technology

High resolution X-Ray diffraction has been used for many years for the non-destructive determination of thickness, composition, strain and relaxation of epitaxial films. It is ideally suited for the metrology of Epi films, including SiGe and Si:C, for the most advanced technologies, 45nm, 32nm and below in the semiconductor industry.

About Jordan Valley

Jordan Valley Semiconductors, LTD provides semiconductor metrology solutions for thin films based on novel, rapid, non-contacting, and non-destructive X-ray technology. We offer a comprehensive family of solutions based on advanced X-Ray Reflectivity (XRR), X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and High Resolution X-Ray Diffractometry (HRXRD). These tools are fully automated, production ready and ideal for both blanket and patterned wafers. Jordan Valley's X-Ray technology enables accurate and precise characterization of all film types - including single and multi-layer stacks, high k and low k materials, metals and dielectrics, amorphous, poly-crystal, and single crystal films. Research and Development, Sales Headquarters are based in Migdal Ha'Emek, Israel. Primary manufacturing is based in Migdal Ha'Emek with a secondary location in Durham, United Kingdom. Demo lab, Sales Customer support office is in Austin, Texas, USA. http://www.jvsemi.com. Jordan Valley products are used in production by leading semiconductor manufacturers worldwide. Jordan Valley's primary shareholders are Clal Industries and Investments Ltd. (TASE: CII), Intel Capital (Nasdaq: INTC), and Elron Electronic Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: ELRN).

US Company Contact, Brenda Ortiz of Jordan Valley Semiconductors, Inc., +1-512-832-8470, brendao@jvsemi.com, or Israel Company Contact, Alon Kapel of Jordan Valley Semiconductors LTD, +972-4-6543666, alon@jordanvalley.com