Applied Materials Introduces Innovations for Building Faster DRAM Chips
(Thomson Reuters ONE) -
* Increasing DRAM speed to match microprocessor performance is a key challenge
in 20nm era
* New transistor fabrication technologies help overcome "memory wall" to speed
data access
SANTA CLARA, Calif., July 6, 2011 - Applied Materials, Inc. today announced a
trio of new systems designed to boost performance in the next generations of
DRAM chips. These innovative systems, which overcome key challenges in
fabricating the transistor and contact areas of memory chips, include: the
Applied Centura(®) DPN HD(TM) system to improve the gate insulator scaling; the
Applied Endura(®) HAR Cobalt PVD system for high aspect ratio contact
structures; and the Applied Endura(®) Versa(TM) XLR W PVD system for reduced
gate stack resistance.
"New DRAM manufacturing technology is essential to helping chipmakers unleash
the full potential of today's high performance mobile computing devices while
reducing power consumption," said Dr. Randhir Thakur, executive vice president
and general manager of the Silicon Systems Group at Applied Materials. "These
systems build on Applied's leadership in gate plasma nitridation and PVD
metallization technologies to enable our customers to deliver faster, lower-
power memory performance."
While microprocessor speed has increased significantly over the years, DRAM
chips have not kept pace - resulting in a critical performance gap. To overcome
this "memory wall," the speed of the control circuitry that transfers data
between the memory cell array and external data bus must be increased. DRAM
chipmakers are addressing this challenge by adapting key transistor technologies
from advanced logic devices to increase transistor density and make room for
faster, more sophisticated, control circuitry.
"Our unmatched portfolio of transistor and contact technologies enables us to
offer our customers a multifaceted approach that addresses key challenges in the
DRAM manufacturing process," said Steve Ghanayem, general manager of the Front
End and Metal Deposition division at Applied Materials.
The Applied Centura DPN HD system is designed to boost transistor performance by
incorporating nitrogen atoms into the gate insulator to improve its electrical
characteristics. The new high-dose (HD) technique builds on Applied's pioneering
decoupled plasma nitridation (DPN) technology, widely used in manufacturing
advanced logic and memory devices, to help chipmakers to shrink transistor
dimensions while maintaining optimum transistor performance.
By replacing traditional titanium with lower-resistivity cobalt for transistor
contact metallization, the new Applied Endura Cobalt PVD system offers a
production-proven method to boost switching speed and lower power consumption.
The system leverages Applied's decade of experience in cobalt physical vapor
deposition (PVD) to deposit uniform films in high-aspect-ratio contact
structures with 50% lower contact resistance than titanium.
The Applied Endura Versa XLR W PVD system extends Applied's industry-standard
tungsten PVD technology to deliver up to a 20% reduction in gate stack
resistivity, enabling a significant improvement in switching speed, a key
requirement for gate scaling. In addition, the new system's optimized reactor
design significantly improves the lifetime of critical consumable components,
enabling 10% lower cost-per-wafer.
For more technical information on Applied Materials' new technologies for
advanced DRAM manufacturing, visit www.becauseinnovationmatters.com.
Applied Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMAT) is the global leader in providing
innovative equipment, services and software to enable the manufacture of
advanced semiconductor, flat panel display and solar photovoltaic products. Our
technologies help make innovations like smartphones, flat screen TVs and solar
panels more affordable and accessible to consumers and businesses around the
world. At Applied Materials, we turn today's innovations into the industries of
tomorrow. Learn more at www.appliedmaterials.com.
# # #
Contact:
Connie Duncan (editorial/media) 408.563.6209
Michael Sullivan (financial community) 408.986.7977
The Applied Endura PVD Platform:
http://hugin.info/143724/R/1528672/464322.jpg
The Applied Centura DPN HD plasma nitridation system:
http://hugin.info/143724/R/1528672/464321.jpg
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other applicable laws; and
(ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and
originality of the information contained therein.
Source: Applied Materials via Thomson Reuters ONE
[HUG#1528672]
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Datum: 06.07.2011 - 13:32 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 56175
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