Canon ANELVA (ANalysis ELectronics VAcuum) is a fully owned subsidiary of
Canon Inc. that manufactures thin film processing equipment for semiconductor, data storage, and display industries based on its 50+ years of experience in vacuum technologies.
Canon ANELVA started developing PVD tool for spintronics in year 1997, when the GMR heads were emerging as a candidate for read heads for hard disk drives. Since then, the company's equipment has evolved to accommodate advancements in read head technologies - from GMR to TMR to low-RA TMR. Leveraging its expertise in magnetic thin films, Canon ANELVA started developing PVD and Etch equipment for MRAM in year 2000.