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Applied Materials Equips Industry's First 300mm IC Fab
Broad Range of Applied Materials' 300mm Systems Ordered for Siemens-Motorola "Semiconductor 300" Project in Dresden, Germany
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 19, 1998-- The recently announced Siemens-Motorola joint venture 300mm fab in Dresden, Germany -- called Semiconductor 300 -- has placed a large, multi-technology order with Applied Materials for a variety of semiconductor manufacturing systems. This is the world's first development line to use 300mm wafers to produce semiconductor integrated circuit devices.
The Applied Materials' 300mm systems are expected to begin shipping in the first calendar quarter of 1998. The order encompasses a number of plasma Etch, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD) and high temperature film products, as well as state-of-the-art wafer inspection and CD-SEM equipment.
Dr. Peter Kuecher, General Manager of Semiconductor 300, said, ''The start-up of the world's first 300mm fab is the result of the successful cooperation between Siemens and Motorola, and is a milestone for the semiconductor industry. With our target of reducing DRAM die cost by 30 percent, this fab is the first of a new generation of chip manufacturing facilities that will set the standard for the future of the semiconductor industry.''
Dan Tull, Deputy General Manager of Semiconductor 300, continued, ''Applied Materials has been a key equipment supplier to both Siemens and Motorola for many years, with outstanding products and an excellent support infrastructure already in place in Dresden. The company has the broadest, most fully developed line of 300mm systems in the industry. Semiconductor 300's decision to buy a wide spectrum of Applied Materials' technologies is based on the production capabilities of the systems and their extendibility to future generations of devices.''
In order to demonstrate the new manufacturing technology the Semiconductor 300 line will produce 64 Mb DRAM devices with 0.25 micron design rules. This phase is expected to begin in early 1999. There are plans to manufacture 256Mb devices at a later date.
''We are delighted to be a key supplier to Semiconductor 300 in this historic venture,'' said Dr. David N.K. Wang, senior vice president and member of the Office of the President of Applied Materials. ''During our 300mm evaluation and demonstration phase, we focused on the combination of low-risk production worthiness and technology that was extendible for multiple generations. All of our 300mm technology development, which covers more than 50 products, has been aimed at those goals. We will be continuing our joint development activities with Semiconductor 300 for next-generation 300mm process technologies.''
Applied Materials has invested heavily in 300mm equipment development over the past several years, and currently has more than 500 engineers and technologists assigned to its diverse 300mm programs. To support its multiple technology programs, the company was the first semiconductor equipment maker to install a full-spectrum 300mm metrology lab. Applied Materials has already shipped systems for epitaxial deposition and RTP (rapid thermal processing) for 300mm process development to various silicon wafer manufacturers as well as systems to the SELETE consortium for evaluation.
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. |
