8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 25, 2015

Rudolph Technologies, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

DELAWARE	001-36226	22-3531208
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

One Rudolph Road, P.O. Box 1000, Flanders, NJ 07836

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (973) 691-1300

Not applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

[ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

[ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 8.01. Other Events.

On September 25, 2015, Rudolph Technologies, Inc. acquired Stella Alliance, LLC, a Massachusetts-based semiconductor inspection technology intellectual property portfolio company. On September 29, 2015, the Company issued a press release announcing the acquisition described above. The press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference into this Item 8.01.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

Exhibit No.	Description of Exhibit
99.1	Press Release issued September 29, 2015

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.	Description of Exhibit
99.1	Press Release issued September 29, 2015

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

Rudolph Technologies, Inc.

Date: September 29, 2015	By: /s/ Paul F. McLaughlin
	Paul F. McLaughlin Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

EX-99.1

EXHIBIT 99.1

Rudolph Acquires Inspection Technology

of Stella Alliance, LLC

Acquired patents to enhance Rudolph’s inspection capabilities in advanced

packaging and extend inspection into new applications

Flanders, New Jersey (September 29, 2015)-Rudolph Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: RTEC) announced today that it has purchased Stella Alliance, LLC, a Massachusetts-based semiconductor inspection technology intellectual property (IP) portfolio company. Stella Alliance’s patented illumination, auto-focus and image acquisition technology significantly enhances the ability to identify certain critical defects not visible with current techniques. With this acquisition, Rudolph expects to add a next-generation, high-resolution inspection system to its portfolio of solutions in the second quarter of 2016. Additionally, the acquired technology is able to handle large rectangular substrates, extending Rudolph’s inspection portfolio footprint into growing unserved segments of microelectronic device manufacturing.

Paul McLaughlin, Rudolph’s chairman and chief executive officer, stated, “We expect the addition of this patented technology to bring a competitive advantage to our customers by addressing current inspection limitations, while helping Rudolph maintain the dominant market share in the back-end inspection arena.”

The technology was developed to overcome the challenges of detecting residue-related defects that traditional technologies can miss. These defects can have a significant impact on the interconnect quality, such as incomplete etch of bond or bump pads, faint copper bridging and stringers at the bottom of vias and high aspect ratio trenches in fan-out wafer level packaging (FOWLP), wafer-level chip scale packaging (WLCSP) and embedded die applications.

In addition, the technology provides the high resolution needed to inspect highly warped rectangular panels (larger than 500mm). This compliments Rudolph’s JetStep® S line of steppers, which are panel-ready today. With this technology, Rudolph will offer a more comprehensive panel solution, which involves printing, inspecting and yield analysis, to quickly ramp lines and maintain high productivity.

“This new technology helps Rudolph provide configurable systems to meet current and future challenges faced by our customers,” said Mike Goodrich, vice president and general manager of Rudolph’s Inspection Business Unit. “As interconnect technology becomes increasingly important in back-end 3D and 2.5D applications, we anticipate this inspection technique to be a key component for our customers’ process control strategies.”

The Company does not expect the transaction to have an impact on the results of operations for the 2015 third quarter. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

About Rudolph Technologies

Rudolph Technologies, Inc. is a leader in the design, development, manufacture and support of defect inspection, lithography, process control metrology, and data analysis systems and software used by semiconductor and advanced packaging device manufacturers worldwide. Rudolph delivers comprehensive solutions throughout the fab with its families of proprietary products that provide critical yield-enhancing information, enabling microelectronic device manufacturers to drive down costs and time to market of their devices. The Company’s expanding portfolio of equipment and software provides comprehensive solutions for front-end wafer processing, final manufacturing and advanced packaging of ICs. Headquartered in Flanders, New Jersey, Rudolph supports its customers with a worldwide sales and service organization. Additional information can be found on the Company’s website at www.rudolphtech.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Act”) which include the benefits to customers of Rudolph’s products, Rudolph’s business momentum and future growth, Rudolph’s existing market position and its ability to maintain and advance such position relative to its competitors and Rudolph’s ability to meet the expectations and needs of our customers as well as other matters that are not purely historical data. Rudolph wishes to take advantage of the “safe harbor” provided for by the Act and cautions that actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of various factors, including risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Rudolph’s control. Such factors include, but are not limited to, delays in shipping products for technical performance, component supply or other reasons, the company’s ability to leverage its resources to improve its positions in its core markets and fluctuations in customer capital spending. Additional information and considerations regarding the risks faced by Rudolph are available in Rudolph’s Form 10-K report for the year ended December 31, 2014 and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As the forward-looking statements are based on Rudolph’s current expectations, the company cannot guarantee any related future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Rudolph does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.

Contacts:

Investors:                    

Steven R. Roth                

973.448.4302                    

steven.roth@rudolphtech.com

Guerrant Associates

Laura Guerrant-Oiye

Principal

808.882.1467

lguerrant@guerrantir.com     

Trade Press:

Amy Shay

952.259.1794

amy.shay@rudolphtech.com