Applied Materials Teams with Silicon Genesis to Develop Plasma Implant Doping Technologies
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 14, 1999--
Two Companies Look to Commercialize Plasma Doping Technologies;
Silicon Genesis Also Selects Applied Materials' xR120(TM) and Epi
Centura(R) Systems for Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) Manufacturing
Applied Materials, Inc. today announced that it is working with Silicon Genesis Corp. (SiGen), a developer and supplier of advanced materials, processes and wafers to the semiconductor industry, to further develop and commercialize plasma doping technologies for ion implantation and other process applications in future chip designs.
"Applied Materials is committed to an aggressive, long-term
program in advanced doping technology, including new applications that
potentially offer customers advantages in how they create devices,"
said Dr. Israel Beinglass, managing director and chief technologist of
Applied Materials' Thermal Processes and Implant Product Business
Group. "We believe that plasma doping has the potential to be an
important, enabling technology for several future chip applications.
Teaming with Silicon Genesis' experts gives us a strong advantage in
bringing this next-generation technology to customers."
The concept of doping in semiconductor manufacturing refers to
implanting a carefully controlled number of elements into a wafer to
modify certain electrical and physical characteristics of the device.
Plasma doping technology takes place in a small volume, single-wafer
process chamber whose size and design can be compatible with
multichamber-type process equipment. Although in an early stage of
commercial development, plasma doping has already been shown to offer
potential advantages in throughput and cost because the entire wafer
can be implanted at once. In addition to ion implantation, the basic
process can be used for other material modification applications in
both wafer and device manufacturing.
"We are excited to be working with Applied Materials to
commercialize our plasma implant technology," said Francois J. Henley,
president and CEO of Silicon Genesis. "Applied's extensive experience
in single wafer processing and expertise in bringing new technologies
to the industry should help accelerate development of plasma doping
and its utilization for a broad range of materials and applications,
including SOI film formation."
Separately, SiGen has selected an Applied Materials' xR120(TM)
ion implantation system and Epi Centura(R) epitaxial deposition system
for demonstrating efficient, cost-effective SOI manufacturing to
customers in SiGen's production facility. These systems will form the
core of SiGen's qualified process equipment in licensing its Genesis
Process(TM) for SOI manufacturing. With SOI technology, a thin layer
of silicon dioxide is buried in the wafer to provide an improved base
for building leading-edge devices.
"Having Applied Materials' implant and epi systems in a
production-type environment should greatly increase SiGen's ability to
show the benefits of SOI technology and speed its adoption into
mainstream manufacturing," said Henley. "These systems offer excellent
production efficiency and processing quality that is critical to
producing SOI wafers with the characteristics required for advanced
device designs, and at a price that is economically attractive. We
believe SOI's ability to increase chip speed and reduce power will
ultimately contribute to greater capability in portable computing and
communications applications."
Silicon Genesis is an advanced materials company that designs and
manufactures plasma immersion ion implantation equipment and offers
silicon-on-insulator wafer and process licenses to the semiconductor
industry. Silicon Genesis' web site is www.sigen.com.
Applied Materials, Inc. is a Fortune 500 global growth company
and the world's largest supplier of wafer fabrication systems and
services to the global semiconductor industry. Applied Materials is
traded on the Nasdaq National Market System under the symbol "AMAT."
Applied Materials' web site is www.appliedmaterials.com.
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CONTACT: Applied Materials, Inc.
Betty Newboe, 408/563-0647 (Editorial/Media)
Carolyn Schwartz, 408/748-5227 (Financial Community)
KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS COMED PRODUCT