Novellus, Sematech team on low-k exploration
Peter Clarke
EE Times
(06/07/2005 12:21 PM EDT)
LONDON — Semiconductor production equipment company Novellus Systems Inc. is partnering with technology research consortium Sematech to develop and evaluate low-k dielectric films with k-values of less than 2.2, Novellus said Tuesday (June 7).
As part of the agreement, Sematech has agreed to buy a Vector plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition system for depositing ultra low-k films and a novel ultraviolet thermal processing system for post-deposition film curing.
Both systems are due to be delivered to Sematech (Austin, Texas) in October of 2005, Novellus said without disclosing the purchase prices. Novellus (San Jose, Calif.) is due to provide bulk film development and support, while Sematech enginners contribute technical expertise in the integration of porous low-k films.
"Unlike e-beam curing technology, UV curing does not damage underlying film layers, and UV energy can be easily tuned to achieve the best porogen removal and hardening results. We believe that our ULK deposition and UVTP technology will meet the critical requirements for successful copper/ULK interconnect integration beyond 45nm," said Ming Xi, vice president and general manager of Novellus' PECVD business unit, in a statement.
Sematech has designated low-k dielectrics and process compatibility as one of its top challenges for 2005 and 2006, as part of its exploration of the limits of integrating porous low-k materials. In addition to identifying and evaluating ultra low-k materials, the consortium's engineers also are working to ensure that low-k structures reflect a k-effective value of 2.5 for the 45-nanometer technology node.
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