To All,
Applied Materials' Metal Etch System Wins Best Product Award from
Semiconductor International
Metal Etch DPS Centura Cited for Production Excellence
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 15, 1997--In its ''Editor's Choice Best Product'' award ceremony on
October 13 in Austin, Texas, Semiconductor International magazine honored Applied Materials' Metal Etch DPS Centura
system for its superior performance in semiconductor manufacturing.
''We are honored to be chosen for this award, which belongs to the many people responsible for the design and
commercialization of this system,'' said Joseph Bronson, president of Applied Materials' Etch Product Business Group.
''Without our excellent staff and valuable customer development partnerships, the Metal Etch DPS Centura system could not
have attained the rapid success that it has had in production environments around the globe.''
Semiconductor International's Best Product award requires that all candidates must be nominated by a customer who is using
the product at its facility. All equipment is evaluated on actual product performance -- not manufacturer claims -- by users of
the products in day-to-day semiconductor fab operations. A ''Best Product'' must have advanced processing technology and
provide enhanced manufacturing results, as verified by customers of the products. Products selected as Best Products in the
competition generally are not newly introduced, but are products that have been proven in established production facilities to
have made significant improvements in one or more facets of semiconductor manufacturing.
''We designed a system to meet our customers' needs for the most advanced metal etch process technology over several
current and future device generations,'' noted Mike Morita, general manager for the Metal Etch Division at Applied Materials.
''But what really propelled its rapid acceptance by customers around the world was the advanced technology in a system that
also set new benchmarks for production- worthiness, high productivity and easy maintainability in the demanding day-to-day
chipmaking environment.
The Metal Etch DPS (Decoupled Plasma Source) Centura system was introduced in February 1996, and has rapidly become
the leading system for advanced etching of aluminum and tungsten films using 0.35 micron to 0.18 micron (and beyond) feature
sizes. To date, more than 150 Metal Etch DPS process chambers have been shipped and the system is currently installed in 16
of the top 20 semiconductor manufacturers. More than 90 percent of the chambers are being used in full production
environments on 0.35 micron and 0.25 micron devices. The remainder have been installed in various R&D centers for
qualification on sub-0.25 micron devices.
The Decoupled Plasma Source enables independent RF source and bias power for maximum control of the etch process. The
result is a virtually damage-free etch, leading critical dimension control and an exceptionally wide process window. The system
has found equal acceptance in logic, microprocessor and DRAM applications and has demonstrated the broad process
capabilities required to address these diverse types of devices.
The Metal Etch DPS Centura was the first metal etch system that combined sub-quarter micron metal etch capability with the
high productivity needed for production manufacturing. Throughput exceeds 40 wafers per hour, uptime is greater than 90
percent and the system has demonstrated etching down to 0.12 micron feature sizes to date. With its multi-generation
capability, the Metal Etch DPS chamber is being used as the basis for Applied Materials' 300mm metal etch system, offering
rapid qualification and the same superior etching performance.
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 appliedmaterials.com .
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