Kumar and others,
With the merger of Varian and NVLS, will we see are more potent competitor to AMAT? I like the part of this article which says there will be 75-100 sub .25 micron FABS over the next three years!
Varian launches PVD tool for 0.18-micron technologies
PALO ALTO, Calif.--Varian Associates Inc. here has introduced a new physical vapor deposition (PVD) cluster tool, called
Inova, which the company said will offer semiconductor manufacturers the lowest cost, production-worthy metalization
solution for 0.18 micron geometries and beyond.
Varian's new cluster tool is aimed at what industry analysts believe is a critical need in next-generation wafer fabs. Shipment of
200-mm PVD systems used in sub-quarter-micron processes will have to accelerate in order to meet the demands of chip
makers, according to analyst G. Dan Hutcheson, president of VLSI Research Inc. in San Jose. He said 75 to 100 new fabs,
with sub-0.25-micron process capabilities, are planned by semiconductor manufacturers over the next three years.
The Inova is designed to deliver superior film quality and lower particles required for advanced applications, while lowering the
cost of ownership for all applications, according to Varian.
"Chip makers no longer need to choose between breakthrough process technology and productive hardware," said Richard A.
Aurelio, executive vice president at Varian.
Among the cost-saving features is Inova's sputtering source, which extends planned maintenance intervals by delivering high
material utilization for up to 30% longer target and shield life, according to Varian. Further economic benefits are realized from
increased throughput, lower cost of consumables and simplified maintenance procedures, the company said.
Varian shipped the first Inova system in April, and follow-on units are committed to device manufacturers in Japan, Korea, and
the United States, said Aurelio. |
