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To: Lonnie who wrote (10204)	6/18/2003 8:03:06 PM
From: Return to Sender	Respond to of 95515

Applied claims breakthrough in tool for copper ICs By Mark LaPedus Semiconductor Business News (06/18/03 10:55 a.m. EST) siliconstrategies.com SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Taking a new approach in the critical electrochemical plating (ECP) process, Applied Materials Inc. today (June 18) rolled out its second-generation tool in the arena to enable copper-based designs down to the 45-nm node. Geared for high-end ASICs, microprocessors, logic devices, and related chips, the new SlimCell tool from Applied is a 300-mm ECP system for use in IC production at 90-, 65-, and 45-nm nodes. In the ECP tool market, Applied competes against the likes of Novellus Systems Inc. and NuTool Inc., according to analysts. In total, the ECP equipment market is expected to grow from $160 million in 2002, to $550 million by 2006, according to the Santa Clara-based semiconductor equipment giant. Applied's new SlimCell tool enables next-generation, copper-based designs, said Maria Chai, product manager for the company. “This tool is used for copper backend interconnect filling by using electroplating chemistries,” Chai said in an interview with SBN. The SlimCell also breaks away from the traditional “batch chemistry” approach used by Applied and others in the marketplace. The company's previous-generation ECP system, dubbed the iECP, processed wafers via three or four individual “cells” or chambers, which are linked to a common, large bath. Key to the SlimCell system is its individual-cell chemistry that enables multi-step ECP processing. The new tool consists of four independent “cells” or chambers, which are linked to four smaller “cell-independent baths,” according to Chai. As a result, chip makers can use different chemicals in each plating cell to perform multi-step processing. This multi-step capability optimizes the gap-fill and planarization performance of the plating sequence and is critical to achieving the yield required beyond the 90-nm node. The individual-cell chemistry approach reduces chemical-cost-per wafer by more than two times over competing systems, according to Applied. It also nearly eliminates the “bleed-to-feed” headaches in traditional ECP processing. The SlimCell only requires “periodic” catholyte refill after only processing 250 wafers, thereby boosting the stability and predictability in the tool. The SlimCell also features new post-plating technologies for the integrated bevel clean, spin-rinse-dry (SRD) and annealing components. Defect control is another feature. The tool improves defect control by using separate catholyte and anolyte circulation loops. Commitments for the SlimCell system have been received from customers in the U.S., Europe, Japan and Taiwan.