Applied Materials Extends Endura Product Line With New Endura SL; Compact Endura SL PVD Platform Boosts Productivity for Several PVD Applications
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 11, 2000--Applied Materials, Inc., the leading supplier of metal deposition systems to the semiconductor industry, today introduced the Endura SL, a new generation of its industry-leading Endura(R) PVD (physical vapor deposition) platform. Complementing the company's Endura system, the Endura SL features high throughput and productivity in several PVD applications and expands the Endura family of products to provide customers with a complete offering of PVD solutions.
"Although the Endura PVD system remains our primary PVD product, the new Endura SL design extends the landmark Endura concept with more efficient wafer handling and greater operational flexibility. Customers can configure an Endura SL system with up to six process chambers for high productivity, low cost of ownership and reduced defects in certain applications," said Dr. Ashok Sinha, president of Applied Materials' Interconnect Systems and Modules Business Group.
The Endura SL system, which is available with several PVD aluminum and barrier layer process chambers, is the industry's only system to use two dual-blade robots for faster wafer handling and higher transfer speeds. The system's new loadlock module accommodates the degas and cooldown chambers, enabling up to six process chamber positions on the platform for maximum system capacity and overall throughput. The system is designed to conform to the latest communications and facility standards, and is available with factory automation capability. The Endura SL is smaller than the Endura PVD system, conserving costly fab floorspace.
"The Endura SL takes advantage of our experience obtained by manufacturing more than 2,000 Endura systems, featuring numerous upgrades and design improvements that make it extremely reliable and compatible with the requirements of the most modern fabs. Besides its performance enhancements, the Endura SL is a simple, streamlined design that is easy to install and maintain, and features the latest factory communications technology," said Avi Tepman, vice president of core engineering for Applied Materials' Integrated Systems and Modules Product Group, and leading designer of the original Endura PVD system. "This new Endura platform will take us forward for multiple device generations, with the kind of advanced production capabilities and fab compatibility our customers expect from a new generation of Endura systems."
Multiple commitments for the Endura SL system have been received from customers in various regions, and several systems have already been shipped to a customer in Japan.
Applied Materials (Nasdaq:AMAT) is a leader of the Information Age and the world's largest supplier of products and services to the global semiconductor and flat panel display industries. Applied Materials' web site is http://www.appliedmaterials.com.
CONTACT: Applied Materials, Santa Clara
Betty Newboe, 408/563-0647 (editorial/media)
Carolyn Schwartz, 408/748-5227 (financial community)