Date: 30/08/2010

Applied Materials' new vapor deposition tech supporting 20nm semiconductor fabs

Applied Materials has launched the Applied Producer Eterna FCVD (Flowable CVD) system to support semiconductor chip making technology moving to nodes of <20nm. Applied materials say that this is the first and only film deposition technology capable of electrically isolating the densely-packed transistors in 20nm-and-below memory and logic semiconductor chip designs with a high-quality dielectric film. The gaps between these transistors can have aspect ratios of more than 30:1. The Eterna FCVD system's process completely fills these gaps from the bottom up, delivering a dense, carbon-free dielectric film at up to half the cost of spin-on deposition methods, says Applied.

"The need to fill smaller and deeper structures in advanced chip designs creates a physical roadblock for existing deposition technologies. Applied has broken through this barrier today with the introduction of its new Eterna FCVD system - delivering the disruptive technology that can enable the continued progress of Moore's Law," said Bill McClintock, vice president and general manager of Applied's DSM/ CMP2 Business Unit. "With the Eterna FCVD system, Applied continues its decade-long leadership in gap-fill technology, providing a unique, simplified and cost-effective solution for customers to meet the challenges of multiple new chip generations."

Applied's Eterna FCVD process delivers a liquid-like film that flows freely into virtually any structure shape to provide a bottom up, void-free fill. The Eterna FCVD system is installed at six customer sites for DRAM, Flash and Logic applications, where it is integrated on Applied's benchmark Producer platform.

For more information visit: http://www.appliedmaterials.com/