Lam Research Corporation Announces JDP With
National Semiconductor to Develop Advanced
Aluminum Etch Processes
Business Wire - November 16, 1998 16:45
FREMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 16, 1998--
Using Lam's TCP(tm) 9600PTX Metal Etch Cluster System, the Project Goal is to
Develop and Qualify Processes for Manufacturing Sub-0.18 Micron Devices
Lam Research Corporation (Nasdaq: LRCX), a leading supplier of wafer fabrication
equipment to the worldwide semiconductor industry, today announced a joint
development program (JDP) with National Semiconductor Corporation to develop
advanced aluminum plasma etch processes.
Processes will be developed on Lam's TCP 9600PTX metal etch cluster system at
National's Advanced Technology Group development facility in Santa Clara,
California. The project objective is to develop and qualify advanced manufacturing
processes for direct patterning of aluminum for National's 0.18 through 0.13 micron
device technologies. Simultaneously, National will take delivery of a TCP 9600PTX
metal etch cluster system for its South Portland, Maine, manufacturing facility where
it will be used to meet immediate production requirements.
"Lam is committed to providing equipment and process expertise that enables our
customers to minimize successfully the risk associated with rapidly shrinking device
geometries and changing device designs. Our partnership with National enables the
pursuit of parallel development paths for advanced metallization, which includes
aluminum etching and dual damascene. The focus of this JDP will be to develop and
qualify processes for production of 0.18 through 0.13 micron devices," stated Dr.
Greg Campbell, Lam's vice president and general manager of the etch products
group.
"National has developed devices that have clock speeds exceeding 500 MHz, and
we are committed to leveraging our design and process expertise to provide
market-leading cost/performance solutions. This project focuses on metal etch
technology for advanced multilevel designs and represents a continuation and
strengthening of the relationship between Lam and National," according to Paul
Murphy, director of the Advanced Technology Group at National.
"We selected Lam's TCP 9600PTX cluster system for these advanced processes
because of its high throughput and technical performance. In addition, the hardware
and process support committed by Lam will speed the transfer of processes to
manufacturing. This support is critical for a flexible and fast-ramping fab startup,"
Murphy said.
Lam Research Corporation is a leading supplier of wafer fabrication equipment and
services to the world's semiconductor industry. Lam's headquarters are located in
Fremont, California. The company's common stock trades on the Nasdaq National
Market under the symbol LRCX. Lam's World Wide Web address is
lamrc.com.
|
