NPTest Holding Corporation 14,600,000 Shares a Common Stock ($0.001 par value) Underwriting Agreement

Exhibit 1.1

NPTest Holding Corporation

14,600,000 Shares ^a

Common Stock

($0.001 par value)

Underwriting Agreement

New York, New York

, 2003

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

Credit Suisse First Boston LLC

▇▇▇▇▇▇ Brothers Inc.

Banc of America Securities LLC

As Representatives of the several Underwriters,

c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇

▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

Ladies and Gentlemen:

NPTest Holding Corporation, a corporation organized under the laws of Delaware (the “Company”), proposes to sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you (the “Representatives”) are acting as representatives, 14,600,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.001 par value (“Common Stock”) of the Company (said shares to be issued and sold by the Company being hereinafter called the “Underwritten Securities”). NPTest Holding, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Selling Stockholder”) also proposes to sell to the Underwriters, at the option of the Underwriters, an aggregate of not more than 2,190,000 additional shares of Common Stock to cover over-allotments (the “Option Securities”; the Option Securities, together with the Underwritten Securities, being hereinafter called the “Securities”). To the extent there are no additional Underwriters listed on Schedule I other than you, the term Representatives as used herein shall mean you, as Underwriters, and the terms Representatives and Underwriters shall mean either the singular or plural as the context requires. Certain terms used herein are defined in Section 17 hereof.

Plus an option to purchase from the Selling Stockholder, up to additional Securities to cover over-allotments.

1. Representations and Warranties.

(a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter as set forth below in this Section 1.

(i) The Company has prepared and filed with the Commission a registration statement (file number 333-108664) on Form S-1, including a related preliminary prospectus, for registration under the Act of the offering and sale of the Securities. The Company may have filed one or more amendments thereto, including a related preliminary prospectus, each of which has previously been furnished to you. The Company will next file with the Commission one of the following: either (1) prior to the Effective Date of such registration statement, a further amendment to such registration statement (including the form of final prospectus) or (2) after the Effective Date of such registration statement, a final prospectus in accordance with Rules 430A and 424(b). In the case of clause (2), the Company has included in such registration statement, as amended at the Effective Date, all information (other than Rule 430A Information) required by the Act and the rules thereunder to be included in such registration statement and the Prospectus. As filed, such amendment and form of final prospectus, or such final prospectus, shall contain all Rule 430A Information, together with all other such required information, and, except to the extent the Representatives shall agree in writing to a modification, shall be in all substantive respects in the form furnished to you prior to the Execution Time or, to the extent not completed at the Execution Time, shall contain only such specific additional information and other changes (beyond that contained in the latest Preliminary Prospectus) as the Company has advised you, prior to the Execution Time, will be included or made therein.

(ii) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and any Preliminary Prospectus delivered in connection with the offering of the Securities for sale to the public, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and the rules thereunder, and did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to the information contained in or omitted from any Preliminary Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives, in each case specifically for inclusion in the Preliminary Prospectus.

(iii) On the Effective Date, the Registration Statement did or will, and when the Prospectus is first filed (if required) in accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date (as defined herein) and on any date on which Option Securities are purchased, if such date is not the Closing Date (a “settlement date”), the Prospectus (and any supplements thereto) will, comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and the rules thereunder; on the Effective Date and at the Execution Time, the Registration Statement did not or will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and, on the Effective Date, the Prospectus, if not filed pursuant to Rule 424(b), will not, and on the date of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date and any settlement date, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) will not, include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to the information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement, or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto). No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment thereto or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has been issued and, to the Company’s knowledge, no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or threatened by the Commission.

(iv) The subsidiaries listed on Annex A attached hereto are the only Significant Subsidiaries of the Company as defined by Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X (the “Significant Subsidiaries”).

(v) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly organized or incorporated and is validly existing as a limited liability company or corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is chartered or organized with full power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign limited liability company or corporation and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not

reasonably be likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business (a “material adverse effect”).

(vi) All the outstanding membership interests or shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and, in the case of membership interests, are not subject to assessment for additional capital contributions and, in the case of capital stock, are fully paid and nonassessable, and, except as otherwise set forth in the Prospectus, all outstanding shares of capital stock of the subsidiaries are owned by the Company either directly or through wholly owned subsidiaries free and clear of any perfected security interest or any other security interests, claims, liens or encumbrances.

(vii) The Company’s authorized capitalization is as set forth in the Prospectus; the capital stock conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus as of the Closing Date; the outstanding shares of Common Stock have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and nonassessable; the Securities have been duly and validly authorized, and, when issued and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, will be fully paid and nonassessable; the Securities being sold hereunder by the Company are duly listed, and admitted and authorized for trading, subject to official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution, on the Nasdaq National Market; the certificates for the Securities are in valid and sufficient form; the holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are not entitled to preemptive or other rights to subscribe for the Securities; and, except as set forth in the Prospectus, no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or rights to convert any obligations into or exchange any securities for, shares of capital stock of or ownership interest in the Company are outstanding.

(viii) There is no franchise, contract or other document of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit thereto, which is not described or filed as required; and the statements in the Prospectus under the headings “Description of Capital Stock, “ “Underwriting” and “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, “ in each case insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain provisions of legal matters, the provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws, agreements, documents or proceedings referred to therein, fairly and accurately summarize such provisions in all material respects.

(ix) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(x) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(xi) No consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental agency or body is required in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities by the Company hereunder and the compliance by the Company with the provisions of this Agreement, except (i) as have been obtained under the Act, (ii) as may be required under the blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein and in the Prospectus, or (iii) as relate to the review of the transaction by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.

(xii) Neither the issuance and sale of the Securities by the Company hereunder nor the compliance by the Company with the provisions of this Agreement will conflict with, result in a breach or violation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, (x) the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (y) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or bound or to which its or their property is subject, or (z) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its or their properties, except in the case of clauses (y) and (z) above taken together, as would not reasonably be likely, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect.

(xiii) Except as set forth in the Prospectus, no holders of securities of the Company have rights to the registration of such securities under the Registration Statement.

(xiv) The consolidated historical financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included in the Prospectus and the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of the dates and for the periods indicated, comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein). The selected financial data set forth under the caption “Selected Financial Data” and the summary historical financial data set forth under the caption “Summary Historical and Pro Forma Combined Financial Data” in the Prospectus and Registration Statement fairly present, in all material respects, on the basis stated in the Prospectus and the Registration Statement, the information included therein.

(xv) No action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or its or their property is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened that (x) would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby or (y) would otherwise reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

(xvi) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries owns or leases all such properties as are necessary to the conduct of its operations as presently conducted, except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect.

(xvii) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation or default of (x) any provision of its charter, bylaws or other organizational documents, (y) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which it is a party or bound or to which its property is subject, or (z) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or such subsidiary or any of its properties, as applicable, except, in the case of clauses (y) and (z) above taken together, which violation or default would not reasonably be likely, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect.

(xviii) PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have certified certain consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and delivered their report with respect to the audited consolidated financial statements included in the Prospectus, are independent public accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder.

(xix) There are no transfer taxes or other similar fees or charges under Federal law or the laws of any state, or any political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance by the Company or sale by the Company of the Securities.

(xx) The Company has filed all foreign, federal, state and local tax returns that are required to be filed by it or has requested extensions thereof except in any case in which the failure so to file would not reasonably be likely, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect; and has paid all taxes required to be paid by it and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and payable, except for any such assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being contested in good faith or as would not reasonably be likely, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect.

(xxi) No labor problem or dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or is threatened or imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or its subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, that would reasonably be likely, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect.

(xxii) (v) The Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; (w) all policies of insurance and fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect, except as would not reasonably be likely, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect; (x) the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; (y) there are no claims by the Company or any of its

subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause, except as would not reasonably be likely, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect; and (z) neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect.

(xxiii) No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s membership interests or capital stock, as the case may be, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as set forth in or contemplated by the Prospectus.

(xxiv) The Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as presently conducted, and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would be reasonably likely, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect.

(xxv) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Prospectus any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, except as set forth in or contemplated by the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto); and, (ii) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any change, or any development involving a prospective change that would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect.

(xxvi) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

(xxvii) The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(xxviii) The Company and its subsidiaries are (i) in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, except where such non-compliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals, or liability would not reasonably be likely, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect. Neither the Company nor any of the subsidiaries has been named as a “potentially responsible party” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended.

(xxix) There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for cleanup, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) that would reasonably be likely, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

(xxx) The Company and its subsidiaries own, possess or can obtain on reasonable terms valid licensee or other rights to use all patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, know-how, inventions, trade secrets, technology and know-how and other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary to conduct the business of the Company and its subsidiaries in the manner in which it currently is being conducted, except where the failure to own, possess or obtain such Intellectual Property would not be reasonably likely, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect. Except to the extent that, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, finding or ruling, individually or in the aggregate, it would not reasonably be likely to have a material adverse effect, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries have not received any correspondence relating to any Intellectual Property or notice of infringement or of conflict with (and the Company knows of no such infringement or conflict with) asserted rights of others with respect to any patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, know-how, trade secrets or other intellectual property and (ii) the Company is not aware of any facts or circumstances that would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or its subsidiaries therein. The products or processes referred to in the Prospectus do not, to the knowledge of the Company, infringe or conflict with any right or patent, or any invention, product or process that is the subject of a patent application known to the Company, which, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, finding or ruling, individually or in the aggregate, would have a material adverse effect.

(xxxi) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries own any real property; the Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the Prospectus or such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries;

(xxxii) There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company and any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with, and on the Effective Date the Company will be in compliance with, the provisions of Section 402 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes Oxley Act”).

Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.

(b) The Selling Stockholder represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter that:

(i) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Selling Stockholder has and on each Closing Date hereinafter mentioned is the record and beneficial owner of the Option Securities to be sold by it hereunder free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities and claims and will have valid and unencumbered title to the Option Securities to be delivered by the Selling Stockholder on such Closing Date and full right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Option Securities to be delivered by the Selling Stockholder on such Closing Date hereunder; and upon the delivery of and payment for the Option Securities on each Closing Date hereunder the several Underwriters will acquire valid and unencumbered title to the Option Securities to be delivered by the Selling Stockholder on such Closing Date.

(ii) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Selling Stockholder has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(iii) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Selling Stockholder.

(iv) No consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental agency or body is required for the sale of the Option Securities offered by the Selling Stockholder hereunder and the compliance by the Selling Stockholder with the provisions of this Agreement, except (i) as may have been obtained under the Act, (ii) as may be required under the blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the

Underwriters and such other approvals as have been obtained, or (iii) as relate to the review of the transaction by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.

(v) Neither the sale of the Option Securities being offered by the Selling Stockholder hereunder nor the compliance by the Selling Stockholder with the provisions of this Agreement will conflict with, result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under (i) the limited liability company agreement of the Selling Stockholder, (ii) the terms of any indenture or other agreement or instrument to which the Selling Stockholder or any of its subsidiaries is a party or bound, or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable to the Selling Stockholder or any of its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body or arbitrator having jurisdiction over the Selling Stockholder or any of its subsidiaries, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above taken together, as would not reasonably be likely, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect.

(vi) To the extent that any statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) are made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholder specifically for inclusion therein, such Preliminary Prospectus and the Registration Statement did, and the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, when they become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and the rules thereunder and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated thereon or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading.

(vii) The Selling Stockholder has no reason to believe that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Section 1 are not true and correct, is familiar with the Registration Statement and has no knowledge of any material fact, condition or information not disclosed in the Prospectus or any supplement thereto which has adversely affected or may adversely affect the business of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

(viii) Solely in respect of any statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any supplements thereto made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by the Selling Stockholder specifically for use in connection with the preparation thereof, the Selling Stockholder hereby makes the same representations and warranties to each Underwriter as the Company makes to such Underwriter under paragraph (a)(iii) of this Section.

(ix) In order to document the Underwriters’ compliance with the reporting and withholding provisions of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 with respect to the transactions herein contemplated, the Selling Stockholder will deliver to the Representatives prior to or at the Time of Delivery (as hereinafter defined) a properly completed and executed United States Treasury Department Form W-9 (or other applicable form or statement specified by Treasury Department regulations in lieu thereof).

Any certificate signed by any officer of the Selling Stockholder and delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Selling Stockholder, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.

2. Purchase and Sale.

(a) Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of $ per share, the amount of the Underwritten Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule I hereto.

(b) Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Selling Stockholder hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to 2,190,000 Option Securities at the same purchase price per share as the Underwriters shall pay for the Underwritten Securities. Said option may be exercised only to cover over-allotments in the sale of the Underwritten Securities by the Underwriters. Said option may be exercised in whole or in part at any time on or before the 30th day after the date of the Prospectus upon written or telegraphic notice by the Representatives to the Selling Stockholder setting forth the number of

shares of the Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are exercising the option and the settlement date. The number of Option Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the same percentage of the total number of shares of the Option Securities to be purchased by the several Underwriters as such Underwriter is purchasing of the Underwritten Securities, subject to such adjustments as you in your absolute discretion shall make to eliminate any fractional shares.

3. Delivery and Payment. Delivery of and payment for the Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities (if the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof shall have been exercised on or before the third Business Day prior to the Closing Date) shall be made at 10:00 AM, New York City time, on , 2003, or at such time on such later date not more than three Business Days after the foregoing date as the Representatives shall designate, which date and time may be postponed by agreement between the Representatives, the Company and the Selling Stockholder or as provided in Section 9 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment for the Securities being herein called the “Closing Date”). Delivery of the Securities shall be made to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order of the Company and the Selling Stockholder by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to an account specified by the Company and the Selling Stockholder. Delivery of the Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.

The Selling Stockholder will pay all applicable state transfer taxes, if any, involved in the transfer to the several Underwriters of the Option Securities to be purchased by them.

If the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof is exercised after the third Business Day prior to the Closing Date, the Selling Stockholder will deliver the Option Securities (at the expense of the Company) to the Representatives, at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ the date specified by the Representatives (which shall be within three Business Days after exercise of said option) for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order of the Selling Stockholder by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to an account specified by the Selling Stockholder. If settlement for the Option Securities occurs after the Closing Date, the Company the Selling Stockholder will deliver to the Representatives on the settlement date for the Option Securities, and the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase the Option Securities shall be conditioned upon receipt of, supplemental opinions, certificates and letters confirming as of such date the opinions, certificates and letters delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 6 hereof.

4. Offering by Underwriters. It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Prospectus.

5. Agreements.

(a) The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that:

(i) The Company will prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) and will use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement, if not effective at the Execution Time, and any amendment thereof, to become effective. Prior to the termination of the offering of the Securities, the Company will not file any amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement unless the Company has furnished you a copy for your review prior to filing and will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object on the advice of counsel. Subject to the foregoing sentence, if the Registration Statement has become or becomes effective pursuant to Rule 430A, or filing of the Prospectus is otherwise required under Rule 424(b), the Company will cause the Prospectus, properly completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Representatives of such timely filing. The Company will promptly advise the Representatives (1) when the Registration Statement, if not effective at the Execution Time, shall have become effective, (2) when the Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed (if required) with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or when any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have been filed with the Commission, (3) when, prior to termination of the offering of the Securities, any amendment to the Registration Statement shall have been filed or become effective, (4) of any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment of the Registration Statement, or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement,

or for any supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, (5) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and (6) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the suspension of any such qualification and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

(ii) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act, any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Act or the rules thereunder, the Company promptly will (1) notify the Representatives of any such event, (2) prepare and file with the Commission, subject to the second sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 5, an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and (3) supply any supplemented Prospectus to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.

(iii) As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives an earnings statement or statements of the Company and its subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 under the Act.

(iv) Prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and to each other Underwriter a copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and, as promptly as reasonably practical following the date of this Agreement, and from time to time so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Act, the Company will furnish to the Representatives as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and any supplements thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request.

(v) The Company will arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities; provided that in no event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Securities, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.

(vi) The Company will not, without the prior written consent of Citigroup Global Markets Inc., offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of, (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the Company or any affiliate of the Company or any person in privity with the Company or any affiliate of the Company) directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, any other shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, shares of Common Stock; or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction, for a period of 180 days after the date of the Prospectus, provided, however, that, subject to the provisions of the next sentence, the Company may (v) file any registration statement on Form S-8; (w) grant employee stock options pursuant to the terms of any employee stock option plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan of the Company in effect at the Execution time; (x) issue and sell Common Stock pursuant to any employee stock option plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan of the Company in effect at the Execution Time; (y) issue Common Stock issuable upon the conversion of securities or the exercise of warrants outstanding at the Execution Time and (z) issue shares of Common Stock or options pursuant to any employee stock option plan as consideration in connection with an acquisition or acquisitions and the registration thereof under the Act, provided that with respect to this clause (z) the recipient agrees in writing to be bound by the restrictions set forth in this paragraph. The Company will cause any employee stock option plan or agreement, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan in effect at the Execution Time to contain provisions substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto and will not, without the prior written consent of Citigroup Global Markets, Inc., (1) waive or amend (or permit

the waiver or amendment of) such provisions or (2) approve the disposition by any person of any shares of Common Stock granted under such plans as bona fide gifts. In addition, the Company will use its best efforts to obtain executed copies of lockup letters in the form of Exhibit B from all directors and officers (as defined in Rule 16a-1 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act) of the Company.

(vii) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(viii) The Company will furnish to its security holders as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year an annual report (including a balance sheet and statements of income, security holders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries certified by independent public accountants) and, as soon as practicable after the end of each of the first three quarters of each fiscal year (beginning with the fiscal quarter ending after the effective date of the Registration Statement), to make available to its security holders consolidated summary financial information of the Company and its subsidiaries for such quarter in reasonable detail.

(ix) During a period of five years from the effective date of the Registration Statement, the Company will furnish to the Representatives copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to security holders, and to deliver to you as soon as they are delivered to the Company’s security holders, (i) copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed; and (ii) such other information concerning the business and financial condition of the Company as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request (such financial statements to be on a consolidated basis to the extent the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries are consolidated in reports furnished to its security holders generally or to the Commission) and otherwise in compliance with Regulation FD.

(x) The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement in the manner specified in the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”.

(xi) If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and the Company shall at the time of filing either pay to the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Exchange Act.

(xii) The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to list the Securities on the Nasdaq National Market.

(xiii) The Company agrees to pay the costs and expenses relating to the following matters: (i) the preparation, printing or reproduction and filing with the Commission of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits thereto), each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement to any of them; (ii) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery (including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of such copies of the Registration Statement, each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, and all amendments or supplements to any of them, as may, in each case, be reasonably requested for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities; (iii) the preparation, printing, authentication, issuance and delivery of certificates for the Securities, including any stamp or transfer taxes in connection with the original issuance and sale of the Securities; (iv) the reproduction and delivery of this Agreement, any blue sky memorandum and all other agreements or documents printed (or reproduced) and delivered in connection with the offering of the Securities; (v) the registration of the Securities under the Exchange Act and the listing of the Securities on the Nasdaq National Market; (vi) any registration or qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of the several states (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such registration and qualification); (vii) any filings required to be made with the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such filings); (viii) all of the commercial airline and hotel expenses incurred by or on behalf of the Company representatives and the Selling Stockholder in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Securities; (ix) one-half of any charter expenses incurred by or on behalf of the Company representatives, the Selling Stockholder or the Underwriters in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Securities; (x) the

fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants and the fees and expenses of counsel (including local and special counsel) for the Company and the Selling Stockholder; and (xi) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance by the Company and the Selling Stockholder of their obligations hereunder.

(b) The Selling Stockholder agrees with the several Underwriters that:

(i) The Selling Stockholder will not, without the prior written consent of Citigroup Global Markets Inc., offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the Selling Stockholder or any affiliate of the Selling Stockholder or any person in privity with the Selling Stockholder or any affiliate of the Selling Stockholder) directly or indirectly, or file (or participate in the filing of) a registration statement with the Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act with respect to, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for such capital stock, or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction, for a period of 180 days after the date of this Agreement, other than shares of Common Stock disposed of as a bona fide gift or gifts, provided that the donee or donees thereof agree to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth in this paragraph.

(ii) The Selling Stockholder will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(iii) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act, any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Act or the rules thereunder, the Selling Stockholder will notify the Representatives of any such event which comes to the attention of the Selling Stockholder.

6. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities, as the case may be, shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company and the Selling Stockholder contained herein as of the Execution Time, the Closing Date and any settlement date pursuant to Section 3 hereof, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company and the Selling Stockholder made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and the Selling Stockholder of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

(a) If the Registration Statement has not become effective prior to the Execution Time, unless the Representatives agree in writing to a later time, the Registration Statement will become effective not later than (i) 6:00 PM New York City time on the date of determination of the public offering price, if such determination occurred at or prior to 3:00 PM New York City time on such date or (ii) 9:30 AM on the Business Day following the day on which the public offering price was determined, if such determination occurred after 3:00 PM New York City time on such date; if filing of the Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, is required pursuant to Rule 424(b), the Prospectus, and any such supplement, will be filed in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened.

(b) The Company shall have requested and caused ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel for the Company, to have furnished to the Representatives their opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, to the effect that:

(i) each of the Company and NPTest, Inc. (the “Subsidiary”) is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is chartered or organized, with full corporate power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification; except where such failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not reasonably be likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a

material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business; notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction listed on an exhibit to such opinion;

(ii) NPTest LLC is validly existing as a limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is organized, with full corporate power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus;

(iii) all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Subsidiary and NPTest LLC have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, and, except as otherwise set forth in the Prospectus, all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Subsidiary and NPTest LLC are owned by the Company either directly or through wholly owned subsidiaries free and clear of any perfected security interest and, to the knowledge of such counsel, after due inquiry, any other security interest, claim, lien or encumbrance;

(iv) the Company’s authorized equity capitalization is as set forth in the Prospectus; the capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus; the outstanding shares of Common Stock have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and nonassessable; the Securities have been duly and validly authorized, and, when issued and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, will be fully paid and nonassessable; the Securities are duly listed, and admitted and authorized for trading, subject to official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution, on the Nasdaq National Market; the certificates for the Securities are in valid and sufficient form; and the holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are not entitled to preemptive or other rights to subscribe for the Securities under the Company’s certificate of incorporation or by-laws or the contracts or agreements filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or as otherwise described in the Prospectus;

(v) to the knowledge of such counsel, there is no pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or its or their property of a character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement which is not adequately disclosed in the Prospectus, and there is no franchise, contract or other document of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit thereto, which is not described or filed as required; and the statements included in the Prospectus under the headings “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” and “Description of Capital Stock” insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings;

(vi) the Registration Statement has become effective under the Act; any required filing of the Prospectus, and any supplements thereto, pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); to the knowledge of such counsel, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued, no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or threatened and the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (other than the financial statements and other financial and statistical information contained therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and the rules thereunder; and such counsel has no reason to believe that on the Effective Date or the date the Registration Statement was last deemed amended the Registration Statement contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that the Prospectus as of its date and on the Closing Date included or includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (in each case, other than the financial statements and other financial and statistical information contained therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion);

(vii) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

(viii) the Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus, will not be, an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;

(ix) no consent, approval, authorization, or order of or qualification with, any governmental body or agency under United States federal or New York state law that is normally applicable to general business corporations in relation to transactions of the type contemplated by this Agreement is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except (x) such as have been obtained and made under the Act, (y) as such as may be required under state securities laws or (z) as such relate to the review of the transactions by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc;

(x) the execution and delivery by the Company of, and the issuance and sale of the Securities pursuant to, this Agreement will not contravene any provision of applicable United States federal or New York state law that is generally applicable to general business corporations in relation to transactions of the type contemplated by this Agreement is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, or the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company, or the contracts or agreements filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement; and

(xi) except as provided for in the Stockholder’s Agreement, no holders of securities of the Company have rights to the registration of such securities under the Registration Statement.

In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A) as to matters involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of New York, State of California and the State of Delaware or the Federal laws of the United States, to the extent they deem proper and specified in such opinion, upon the opinion of other counsel of good standing whom they believe to be reliable and who are satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters and (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public officials. References to the Prospectus in this paragraph (b) shall also include any supplements thereto at the Closing Date.

(c) The Representatives shall have received from BVI counsel for NPTest International Ltd (BVI), such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, with respect to the due incorporation and valid existence of such entity and the issuance and ownership of the capital stock of such entity and such other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company and the Selling Stockholder shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they may reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

(d) The Representatives shall have received from Singapore counsel for NPTest Pte Ltd (Singapore), such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, with respect to the due incorporation and valid existence of such entity and the issuance and ownership of the capital stock of such entity and such other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company and the Selling Stockholder shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they may reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

(e) The Representatives shall have received from UK counsel for NPTest UK Ltd (UK), such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, with respect to the due incorporation and valid existence of such entity and the issuance and ownership of the capital stock of such entity and such other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company and the Selling Stockholder shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they may reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

(f) The Representatives shall have received from ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company and the Selling Stockholder shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

(g) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate of the Company, signed by the Chief Executive Officer or the President and the principal financial or accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have examined the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any supplements to the Prospectus and this Agreement and that:

(i) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as if made on the Closing Date and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date;

(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened; and

(iii) since the date of the most recent financial statements included in the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there has been no material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

(h) The Selling Stockholder shall have requested and caused ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ to have furnished to the Representatives their opinion dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, to the effect that:

(i) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Selling Stockholder, and the sale of the Option Securities in the manner provided in this Agreement is within the limited liability company powers of the Selling Stockholder and has been duly authorized by all necessary limited liability company action;

(ii) assuming that each Underwriter acquires its interest in the Securities it has purchased from the Selling Stockholder without notice of any adverse claim (within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code (“UCC”)), each Underwriter that has purchased such Securities delivered on the Closing Date to The Depository Trust Company or other securities intermediary by making payment thereof as provided herein, and that has had such Securities credited to the securities account or accounts of such Underwriters maintained with The Depository Trust Company or such other securities intermediary by having The Depository Trust Company or such other securities intermediary indicate by book entry that the Securities have been credited to such account or accounts will have acquired a security entitlement (within the meaning of Section 8-102(a)(17) of the UCC) to such Securities purchased by such Underwriter, and no action based on an adverse claim (within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the UCC) may be asserted against such Underwriter with respect to such Securities;

(iii) no consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental agency or body is required for the sale of the Option Securities offered by the Selling Stockholder hereunder and the compliance by the Selling Stockholder with the provisions of this Agreement, except (x) consummation by the Selling Stockholder of transactions contemplated herein, except such as may have been obtained under the Act, (y) as may be required under the blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated by this Agreement and in the Prospectus, or (z) as relate to the review of the transaction by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.; and

(i) neither the sale of the Option Securities being offered by the Selling Stockholder hereunder nor the compliance by the Selling Stockholder with the provisions of this Agreement will conflict with, result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under (x) the limited liability company agreement of the Selling Stockholder, (y) the terms of any indenture or other agreement or instrument to which the Selling Stockholder is a party or bound, or (z) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable to the Selling Stockholder or any of its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body or arbitrator having jurisdiction over the Selling Stockholder or any of its subsidiaries, except in the case of clauses (y) and (z) above taken together, as would not reasonably be likely, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect.

In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A) as to matters involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of New York, the State of California and the State of Delaware or the Federal laws of the United States, to the extent they deem proper and specified in such opinion, upon the opinion of other counsel of good standing whom they believe to be reliable and who are satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters and (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Selling Stockholder and public officials.

(i) The Selling Stockholder shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate, signed by the Managing Member of the Selling Stockholder, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have examined the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any supplement to the Prospectus and this Agreement and that the representations and warranties of the Selling Stockholder in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date to the same effect as if made on the Closing Date

(j) The Representatives shall have received, at the Execution Time and at the Closing Date, letters, dated respectively as of the Execution Time and as of the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, confirming that PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP are independent accountants within the meaning of the Act and the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission thereunder and that they have performed a review of the unaudited interim financial information of the Company for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2003, and as at September 30, 2003, in accordance with Statement on Auditing Standards No. 100 and stating in effect that:

(i) in their opinion the audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and reported on by them comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related rules and regulations adopted by the Commission;

(ii) on the basis of a reading of the latest unaudited financial statements made available by the Company and its subsidiaries; their limited review, in accordance with standards established under Statement on Auditing Standards No. 100, of the unaudited interim financial information for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2003, and as at, September 30, 2003; carrying out certain specified procedures (but not an examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards) which would not necessarily reveal matters of significance with respect to the comments set forth in such letter; a reading of the minutes of the meetings of the stockholders, directors and the audit, compensation, and nominating and corporate governance committees of the Company and the Subsidiaries; and inquiries of certain officials of the Company who have responsibility for financial and accounting matters of the Company and its subsidiaries as to transactions and events subsequent to June 30, 2003, nothing came to their attention which caused them to believe that:

(1) any unaudited interim financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements of the Act and with the related rules and regulations adopted by the Commission with respect to registration statements on Form S-1; and said unaudited financial statements are not in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a basis substantially consistent with that of the audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus;

(2) at October 31, 2003, there were any changes, at a specified date not more than five days prior to the date of the letter, in the long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries or capital stock of the Company or decreases in the stockholders’ equity of the Company as compared with the amounts shown on the September 30, 2003 consolidated balance sheet included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, or for the period from October 1, 2003 to such specified date there were any decreases, as compared with the corresponding period in the preceding quarter in total net revenues or income before income taxes or in total amounts of net income of the Company and its subsidiaries, except in all instances for changes or decreases set forth in such letter, in which case the letter shall be accompanied by an explanation by the Company as to the significance thereof unless said explanation is not deemed necessary by the Representatives;

(3) the information included in the Registration Statement and Prospectus in response to Regulation S-K, Item 301 (Selected Financial Data), Item 302 (Supplementary Financial Information), Item 402 (Executive Compensation) and Item 503(d) (Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges) is not in conformity with the applicable disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K;

(iii) they have performed certain other specified procedures as a result of which they determined that certain information of an accounting, financial or statistical nature (which is limited to accounting, financial or statistical information derived from the general accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries) set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, including the information set forth under the captions “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Prospectus Summary,” “Selected Combined Financial Data,” “Business,” “Risk Factors,” “Pro Forma Condensed Financial Statements” in the Prospectus, agrees with the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries, excluding any questions of legal interpretation; and

(iv) on the basis of a reading of the unaudited pro forma financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (the “pro forma financial statements”); carrying out certain specified procedures; inquiries of certain officials of the Company who have responsibility for financial and accounting matters; and proving

the arithmetic accuracy of the application of the pro forma adjustments to the historical amounts in the pro forma financial statements, nothing came to their attention which caused them to believe that the pro forma financial statements do not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of Rule 11-02 of Regulation S-X or that the pro forma adjustments have not been properly applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of such statements.

References to the Prospectus in this paragraph (j) include any supplement thereto at the date of the letter.

(k) Subsequent to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof) and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there shall not have been (i) any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (j) of this Section 6 or (ii) any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto) the effect of which, in any case referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof) and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

(l) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company and the Selling Stockholder shall have furnished to the Representatives such further information, certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.

(m) The Securities shall have been listed and admitted and authorized for trading on the Nasdaq National Market, and satisfactory evidence of such actions shall have been provided to the Representatives.

(n) Each employee stock option plan or agreement, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan of the Company in effect at the Execution Time, shall contain provisions substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, and the Representatives shall have received lock-up letters in the form of Exhibit B hereto from NPTest Holding, LLC and each of the Company’s directors and officers (as defined in Rule 16a-1 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act).

(o) On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have filed its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.

If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the Representatives. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company and the Selling Stockholder in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing.

The documents required to be delivered by this Section 6 shall be delivered at the office of ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel for the Company, at ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, on the Closing Date.

7. Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 6 hereof is not satisfied, or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company or the Selling Stockholder to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally through Citigroup Global Markets Inc. on demand for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been reasonably incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities.

8. Indemnification and Contribution.

(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees and agents of each Underwriter and each person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other Federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged

untrue statement of a material fact contained in the registration statement for the registration of the Securities as originally filed or in any amendment thereof, or in any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided however, that with respect to any untrue statement or omission of material fact made in any such Preliminary Prospectus, the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 8(a) shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter from whom the person asserting any such loss, claim, damage or liability purchased the securities concerned, to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability of such Underwriter occurs under the circumstance where it shall have been determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment that (w) the Company had previously furnished copies of the Prospectus to the Representatives, (x) delivery of the Prospectus was required by the Act to be made to such person, (y) the untrue statement or omission of a material fact contained in the Preliminary Prospectus was corrected in the Prospectus and (z) there was not sent or given to such person, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such securities to such person, a copy of the Prospectus. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.

(b) The Selling Stockholder severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement, each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees and agents of each Underwriter and each person who controls the Company or any Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with reference to written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholder specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Selling Stockholder may otherwise have.

(c) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act or the Selling Stockholder, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with reference to written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have. The Company and the Selling Stockholder acknowledge that the statements set forth in the last paragraph of the cover page regarding delivery of the Securities and, under the heading “Underwriting” (i) the list of Underwriters and their respective participation in the sale of the Securities, (ii) the sentences in the third paragraph related to concessions and reallowances, (iii) the ninth, tenth and eleventh paragraphs related to short sales, stabilization, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids, (iv) the thirteenth paragraph related to qualified independent underwriter and (v) the fifteenth paragraph related to prospectus in electronic format in any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus constitute the only information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the several Underwriters for inclusion in any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus.

(d) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a), (b) or (c) above unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) above. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to appoint counsel of the indemnifying party’s choice at the indemnifying party’s expense (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party) to represent the indemnified party in any action for which indemnification is sought (in which case the indemnifying party shall not thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel retained by the indemnified party or parties except as set forth below); provided, however, that such counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party’s election to appoint counsel to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ one separate counsel (including local counsel), and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest, (ii) the actual or

potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action or (iv) the indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party. An indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of an indemnified party.

(e) In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party for any reason, the Company, the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriters severally agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending same) (collectively “Losses”) to which the Company, the Selling Stockholder and one or more of the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholder on the one hand and by the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities; provided, however, that in no case shall (i) any Underwriter (except as may be provided in any agreement among underwriters relating to the offering of the Securities) be responsible for any amount in excess of the underwriting discount or commission applicable to the Securities purchased by such Underwriter hereunder or (ii) Banc of America Securities LLC (the “Independent Underwriter”) in its capacity as “qualified independent underwriter” (within the meaning of National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Conduct Rule 2720) be responsible for any amount in excess of the compensation received by the Independent Underwriter for acting in such capacity. If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is unavailable for any reason, the Company, the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriters severally shall contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholder on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholder shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by it, and benefits received by the Underwriters shall be deemed to be equal to the total underwriting discounts and commissions, in each case as set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus. Benefits received by the Independent Underwriter in its capacity as “qualified independent underwriter” shall be deemed to be equal to the compensation received by the Independent Underwriter for acting in such capacity. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or any alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information provided by the Company and the Selling Stockholder, on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company, the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (e), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 8, each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee and agent of an Underwriter shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (e). The Underwriters’ obligations in this paragraph (e) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective Underwriting obligations and not joint.

(f) Without limitation of and in addition to its obligations under the other paragraphs of this Section 8, the Company and the Selling Stockholder agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Independent Underwriter, its directors, officers, employees and agents and each person who controls Independent Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject, insofar as

such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or action in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon Independent Underwriter’s acting as a “qualified independent underwriter” (within the meaning of National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Conduct Rule 2720) in connection with the offering contemplated by this Agreement, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company and the Selling Stockholder will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability results from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Independent Underwriter.

(g) The liability of the Selling Stockholder under the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 8 shall be limited to the aggregate of (i) $20.75 million plus (ii) an amount equal to the initial public offering price of the Option Securities sold by the Selling Stockholder to the Underwriters.

9. Default by an Underwriter. If any one or more Underwriters shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder and such failure to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its or their obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up and pay for (in the respective proportions which the amount of Securities set forth opposite their names in Schedule I hereto bears to the aggregate amount of Securities set forth opposite the names of all the remaining Underwriters) the Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase; provided, however, that in the event that the aggregate amount of Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate amount of Securities set forth in Schedule I hereto, the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but shall not be under any obligation to purchase any, of the Securities, and if such nondefaulting Underwriters do not purchase all the Securities, this Agreement will terminate without liability to any nondefaulting Underwriter, the Company or the Selling Stockholder. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this Section 9, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding five Business Days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Company, the Selling Stockholder and any nondefaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.

10. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if at any time prior to such time (i) trading in the Company’s Common Stock shall have been suspended by the Commission or the Nasdaq National Market or trading in securities generally on the Nasdaq National Market shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on such exchange, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by either Federal or New York State authorities or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, other calamity or crisis the effect of which on financial markets is such as to make it, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

11. Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the Selling Stockholder or the Company or any of the officers, directors, employees, agents or controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Sections 7 and 8 hereof shall survive the termination or cancelation of this Agreement.

12. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to the Citigroup Global Markets Inc. General Counsel (fax no.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇) and confirmed to the General Counsel, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: General Counsel; if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to c/o NPTest, Inc., Chief Executive Officer (fax no.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇) and confirmed to it at c/o NPTest, Inc., ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: Chief Executive Officer, with a copy to ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Esq; or if sent to the Selling Stockholder, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to: c/o Francisco Partners GP, LLC, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇.

13. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers, directors, employees, agents and controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.

14. Applicable Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York.

15. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

16. Headings. The section headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

17. Definitions. The terms which follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the meanings indicated.

“Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

“Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York City.

“Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Effective Date” shall mean each date and time that the Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement became or become effective.

“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

“Execution Time” shall mean the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto.

“Preliminary Prospectus” shall mean any preliminary prospectus referred to in paragraph 1(a) above and any preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the Effective Date that omits Rule 430A Information.

“Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus relating to the Securities that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the Execution Time or, if no filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) is required, shall mean the form of final prospectus relating to the Securities included in the Registration Statement at the Effective Date.

“Registration Statement” shall mean the registration statement referred to in paragraph 1(a) above, including exhibits and financial statements, as amended at the Execution Time (or, if not effective at the Execution Time, in the form in which it shall become effective) and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement becomes effective prior to the Closing Date, shall also mean such registration statement as so amended or such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, as the case may be. Such term shall include any Rule 430A Information deemed to be included therein at the Effective Date as provided by Rule 430A.

“Rule 424”, “Rule 430A” and “Rule 462” refer to such rules under the Act.

“Rule 430A Information” shall mean information with respect to the Securities and the offering thereof permitted to be omitted from the Registration Statement when it becomes effective pursuant to Rule 430A.

“Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” shall mean a registration statement and any amendments thereto filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) relating to the offering covered by the registration statement referred to in Section 1(a) hereof.

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company, the Selling Stockholder and the several Underwriters.

Very truly yours,

NPTest Holding Corporation

By:
		Name: Title:

NPTest Holding, LLC

By: Francisco Partners GP, LLC, as Managing Member


By:
		Name: Title:

The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written.

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

By:
		Name: Title:

Credit Suisse First Boston LLC

By:
		Name: Title:

For themselves and the other several Underwriters named in Schedule I to the foregoing Agreement.

SCHEDULE I

Underwriters	Number of Underwritten Securities to be Purchased from the Company	Number of Option Securities Offered by the Selling Stockholder
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
Credit Suisse First Boston LLC
▇▇▇▇▇▇ Brothers Inc.
Banc of America Securities LLC











Total

EXHIBIT A

[Form of Plan Lock-Up Provision]

[Provision already included in employee stock option plan],

“Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, Shares shall not be issued under this Plan unless the Participant agrees that he or she will not sell, transfer, make any short sale of, grant any option for the purchase of, or enter into any hedging or similar transaction with the same economic effect as a sale, any Shares (or other securities of the Company) held by the Participant prior to the date 180 days following the effective date of a registration statement with respect any underwritten public offering by the Company of its equity securities as requested by the managing underwriters for such offering, including the Initial Public Offering.”

[Provision already included in employee stock option agreement],

“Lock-up Period. By exercising the Option, Optionee agrees that the Company (or a representative of the underwriter(s)) may, in connection with any underwritten registration of the offering of any securities of the Company under the Securities Act (including the Company’s Initial Public Offering) and as requested by the managing underwriters of the offering, require that Optionee not sell, dispose of, transfer, make any short sale of, grant any option for the purchase of, or enter into any hedging or similar transaction with the same economic effect as a sale, any Shares or other securities of the Company held by Optionee, for a period of time specified by the underwriter(s) (not to exceed one hundred eight (180) days) following the effective date of the registration statement of the Company filed under the Securities Act. Optionee further agrees to execute and deliver such other agreements as may be reasonably requested by the Company and/or the underwriter(s) that are consistent with the foregoing or that are necessary to give further effect thereto. In order to enforce the foregoing covenant, the Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to Optionees Shares until the end of such period. The underwriters of the Company’s stock are intended third party beneficiaries of this Subsection and shall have the right, power and authority to enforce the provisions hereof as though they were a party hereto.”

EXHIBIT B

[Form of Lock-Up Agreement]

[Letterhead of officer, director or major stockholder of Corporation]

NPTest Holding Corporation

Public Offering of Common Stock

, 2003

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

Credit Suisse First Boston LLC

As Representatives of the several Underwriters,

c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇

▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This letter is being delivered to you in connection with the proposed Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”), between NPTest Holding Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and each of you as representatives of a group of Underwriters named therein, relating to an underwritten public offering of Common Stock, $0.01 par value (the “Common Stock”), of the Company.

In order to induce you and the other Underwriters to enter into the Underwriting Agreement, the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of Citigroup Global Markets Inc., offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the undersigned or any affiliate of the undersigned or any person in privity with the undersigned or any affiliate of the undersigned), directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder with respect to, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for such capital stock, or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction, for a period of 180 days after the date of the Prospectus, other than shares of Common Stock disposed of as bona fide gifts approved by the Company.

A transfer of securities to a family member or trust may be made, provided the transferee agrees to be bound in writing by the terms of this letter agreement.

If for any reason the Underwriting Agreement shall be terminated prior to the Closing Date (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement), the agreement set forth above shall likewise be terminated. The agreement set forth above shall lapse and become null and void if the public offering date set forth on the final Prospectus shall not have occurred on or before March 31, 2004.

Yours very truly,

[Signature of officer, director or major stockholder]

[Name and address of officer, director or

major stockholder]

NPTest Holding Corporation 14,600,000 Shares a Common Stock ($0.001 par value) Underwriting Agreement

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