SANTA CLARA, Calif. & ALBANY, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 26, 2009--
IBM Corporation (NYSE:IBM), Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) and
the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) of the
University at Albany (UAlbany NanoCollege) today announced an agreement
to jointly develop process modeling technology for manufacturing 22
nanometer (nm) logic and memory chips. The project will combine IBM’s
semiconductor technology research and development leadership and
computer modeling expertise with Applied’s semiconductor processing
knowledge to develop predictive models that can help minimize process
variation, reduce development cost, and improve time to market for 22nm
semiconductors.
FinFET transistors – vertical transistors with fin-shaped silicon
channels – will be used to validate the technology. FinFETs are
considered a potential successor to conventional planar transistors for
22nm chips.
Today’s most advanced semiconductors have circuitry at 45 nanometers and
larger. Producing circuits at 22nm becomes more challenging since
current lithography methods – the process for creating circuit patterns
on silicon wafers – present physical limitations for critical chip
layers. To help overcome these limitations, IBM has led an initiative
known as Computational Scaling. Computational-based processes developed
by IBM use advanced mathematical techniques, software tools and
high-performance computing systems to enable the production of complex,
powerful and energy-efficient semiconductors at 22 nanometers and beyond.
“IBM pioneered the use of high-performance computing and predictive
modeling to overcome the physical limitations of optical lithography,”
said Gary Patton, vice president, IBM Semiconductor Research and
Development Center. “To meet the challenges of 22nm, we need to model
the entire physical structure of the transistor, and this is now
possible with the advent of ultra-powerful, petascale computer
processing. By combining Applied’s thin film deposition and etch
processing expertise and CNSE’s fundamental science know-how with IBM’s
capabilities, we can extend our modeling beyond lithography to help
deliver a more complete and validated manufacturing process.”
IBM brings to the collaboration more than 50 years of semiconductor
technology experience and a proven track record of technology
development and manufacturing that can help accelerate development of
22nm technology and beyond. End-to-end integration — from design to
manufacturing to characterization and test — gives IBM the ability to
leverage process insights for outstanding modeling and excellent results
in hardware.
Developing a chip manufacturing process for a new technology node
involves complex interactions among multiple process variables,
fabrication disciplines, and circuit requirements. With circuit features
just a few hundred atoms across, the interactions of each process
variable must be taken into account. For advanced technology nodes, this
can lead to costly production experiments that consume many thousands of
semiconductor wafers. The goal is to develop computational models to
perform most of these experiments in a “virtual” laboratory, greatly
reducing the need for actual wafer processing.
“The next big scaling challenge is to give these ultra-small transistors
consistent geometry and electrical properties which define the speed,
reliability and power consumption of a device,” said Hans Stork, Group
Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Applied’s Silicon Systems
Group. “The key to reducing this variability is to integrate and
optimize every fabrication step to precisely construct and repeat the
critical transistor geometry. By using Applied’s process knowledge to
validate and refine IBM’s predictive modeling, we plan to bring this new
technology to market in a shorter time, with less risk and at a lower
development cost than traditional experimental methods.”
Applied has production-proven processing systems and a wealth of
technology expertise covering the additional steps that are to be
included in the FinFET model. Applied’s award-winning Producer® APF™ and
Producer PECVD systems will deposit the Advanced Patterning Film (APF),
oxide and nitride hard mask layers with tunable thickness, density,
reflectivity and stress, while the Applied Centura® Enabler™ and
AdvantEdge™ etch systems offer closed-loop CD trim, and optimum etch
rate and selectivity for excellent global profile control and CD
uniformity.
“The UAlbany NanoCollege looks forward to building on our relationship
with IBM and Applied Materials for the development of leading-edge
process modeling methods that are critical for the development and
manufacturing of 22nm chips,” said Richard Brilla, Vice President for
Strategy, Alliances and Consortia at CNSE. “This collaboration will
extend current research at CNSE’s Albany NanoTech to validate
fundamental process modeling work for future technology nodes,
accelerating the integration of advanced processing and innovative
nanoelectronics research and development that is necessary for scaling
amid the growing complexity of next-generation transistors.”
The research will be carried out primarily at CNSE’s Albany NanoTech
Complex in Albany, NY, where Applied has a full suite of leading-edge
processing tools and a staff of engineers and scientists. Additional
modeling and process characterization will be performed at IBM’s
facilities in East Fishkill and Yorktown, NY, Applied’s Maydan
Technology Center in Sunnyvale, CA and the Computational Center for
Nanotechnology Innovations (CCNI) at the Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute in Troy, NY.
About IBM: For more information about IBM’s semiconductor
products and services, visit www.ibm.com/technology.
Applied Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq:AMAT) is the global leader in
Nanomanufacturing Technology™ solutions with a broad portfolio of
innovative equipment, service and software products for the fabrication
of semiconductor chips, flat panel displays, solar photovoltaic cells,
flexible electronics and energy efficient glass. At Applied Materials,
we apply Nanomanufacturing Technology to improve the way people live.
Learn more at www.appliedmaterials.com.
About CNSE. The UAlbany CNSE is the first college in the world
dedicated to research, development, education, and deployment in the
emerging disciplines of nanoscience, nanoengineering, nanobioscience,
and nanoeconomics. CNSE’s Albany NanoTech complex is the most advanced
research enterprise of its kind at any university in the world: a $4.5
billion, 450,000-square-foot complex that attracts corporate partners
from around the world and offers students a one-of-a-kind academic
experience. For more information, visit www.cnse.albany.edu.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=5902944&lang=en
Source: Applied Materials, Inc.
IBM
Jeff Couture, 802-769-2483
or
Applied Materials
Betty
Newboe, 408-563-0647 (editorial/media)
Michael Sullivan,
408-986-7977 (financial community)
or
UAlbany NanoCollege
Steve
Janack, 518-956-7322
