Lam Research Corp., a global supplier of wafer fabrication equipment and services to the semiconductor industry, today announced it has shipped the 100th Syndion module for deep silicon etch applications, including CMOS image sensors (CIS), interposers, and through-silicon vias (TSVs). Lam’s 2300 Syndion product family is the etch market leader for manufacturing advanced CIS chips, which are used in mobile, automotive, and medical devices. The systems are also used to create TSVs for stacked memory and other three-dimensional integrated circuits (3D ICs).
“We are pleased to have achieved this important milestone, which validates the trust our customers have in Syndion’s capabilities, not only to address expanding CIS applications, but also to tackle tough TSV integration challenges,” said Vahid Vahedi, group vice president, Etch Product Group. “Because of Syndion’s broad process flexibility, we are playing a critical role in supporting the industry’s transition of 3D ICs to production.”
The market for Syndion’s applications is growing with the increasing demand for new products that incorporate CIS devices and TSV structures. Widespread integration of CIS chips in mobile electronics — for example, cameras in cell phones and tablets — and for automotive and medical applications continues to fuel demand. To achieve smaller form factors and increase bandwidth for memory chips, TSVs are being integrated into manufacturing for stacked memory designs, such as those used in advanced networking systems and servers. To address requirements for faster data transfer rates, smaller package sizes, and reduced power consumption, TSVs are also being used to connect vertically stacked chips to form 3D ICs. One of the key challenges for transitioning 3D ICs to high-volume manufacturing is achieving a lower overall cost of ownership for integration.
The successful adoption of Syndion products at customers worldwide is a result of their robust design — built on Lam’s market-leading 2300 Kiyo conductor etch family — and their optimization for deep silicon etch applications. In particular, Syndion’s fast gas switching capabilities enable the industry’s highest throughput with superior etch depth and critical dimension (CD) uniformity for both large CD/low aspect ratio and small CD/high aspect ratio structures. These technologies provide the high productivity and process control needed to integrate TSVs into production environments.