AMAT debuts ion implant tool for high-yield 20nm semiconductor fab

June 6, 2012 — Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) introduced the Applied Varian VIISta Trident single-wafer, high-current ion implant system, which embeds dopant atoms on 20nm semiconductor wafers at high yields.

"A typical advanced logic chip requires as many as 60 implant steps, including co-implant and precision materials modification applications, many of which are critical to device performance," noted Bob Halliday, VP and GM of Applied’s Varian business unit.

The VIISta Trident precisely tailors dopant concentration and depth profile to optimizing dopant activation and suppress defects in the extension, source/drain junction and contact regions at 20nm. The tool has a proprietary dual-magnet ribbon beam architecture for enhanced performance at low energy. The system’s Energy Purity Module virtually eliminates high-energy species that can "smear" the transistor channel. Integrated cryogenic technology enables production implants as low as -100°C, which Applied points to as vital for making embedded SRAM cells for on-chip cache memory, where the six or eight transistors that make up each cell must be precisely matched.

All major foundries fabricating 20nm chips today are using Applied Materials VIISta Trident systems as tool of record.

The Trident system is one of several technologies Applied Materials will introduce in connection with SEMICON West 2012, to be held on July 10-12 in San Francisco, CA.

Applied Materials Inc. (Nasdaq:AMAT) provides equipment, services and software to enable the manufacture of advanced semiconductor, flat panel display and solar photovoltaic products. Learn more at www.appliedmaterials.com.

Visit the Semiconductors Channel of Solid State Technology!

POST A COMMENT

Easily post a comment below using your Linkedin, Twitter, Google or Facebook account. Comments won't automatically be posted to your social media accounts unless you select to share.