SEMATECH Picks Novellus' SABRE as Copper Electrofill Tool of Choice; SABRE selected to advance copper damascene program
BusinessWire, Thursday, January 07, 1999 at 13:18
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 7, 1999--Novellus Systems
Inc. (NASDAQ:NVLS), the productivity and innovation leader in thin
film deposition technologies for the global semiconductor industry,
and SEMATECH today announced the shipment of a Novellus SABRE(TM)
electrofill system to SEMATECH's Advanced Tool Development Facility
(ATDF) in Austin, Texas. SEMATECH will use the SABRE system, along
with Novellus' INOVA(TM) physical vapor deposition (PVD) system, to
characterize Novellus' Damascus(TM) Complete Copper(TM) dual damascene
deposition solution. SEMATECH will also characterize these tools in
conjunction with other processing techniques used to develop advanced
copper interconnect solutions.
"Our recent SABRE acquisition helps us further our goal of
demonstrating cost-effective approaches in the transition to advanced
interconnect technology utilizing copper and low-k dielectrics," said
SEMATECH's Director of Interconnect Paul Wineberger. "This project is
a continuation of our partnership with Novellus and is designed to
explore advanced interconnect techniques. SABRE will complement our
recent acquisition of Novellus' INOVA PVD system, which deposits the
advanced copper barrier and seed layers for copper interconnects. Our
working relationship with Novellus provides our member companies with
advanced knowledge on the techniques required to turn copper and low-k
technology into a production-worthy manufacturing practice."
Since its introduction in June 1998, Novellus' Damascus Complete
Copper program -- featuring the SABRE and INOVA systems -- has proven
to be the copper dual damascene choice for many leading chipmakers. It
has helped the semiconductor industry meet the challenge of lowering
manufacturing costs while developing and producing advanced integrated
circuits (ICs) that are smaller, faster, less power-hungry and capable
of delivering increased functionality at a lower price. Novellus'
production-worthy dual damascene copper interconnect process delivers
advanced devices that are up to 40 percent faster, consume 30 percent
less power, require half the number of layers and are 20-30 percent
cheaper to produce.
Commenting on the systems' features, Novellus' Metals Business
Group Executive Vice President John Chenault noted, "In addition to
addressing the industry's productivity requirements for copper,
Novellus has structured its copper program to meet each chipmaker's
unique demands. We have assembled an open architecture system that
integrates best-of-breed processes, including deposition, etch and
chemical mechanical planarization (CMP). This provides our customers
with multi-source, optimized solutions that help expedite
time-to-market while lowering manufacturing costs. We have already
received multiple orders for SABRE and INOVA systems from leading
manufacturers of advanced devices. Now SEMATECH, too, has the complete
suite of Novellus equipment needed to develop their Road to Damascus."
SABRE plays a critical role in the successful void-free filling
of copper in the smallest design features. SEMATECH will characterize
SABRE's ability to deposit high-quality copper in extremely deep,
narrow trenches and vias without any void or gaps. SABRE features a
unique cell design that ensures superior reproducibility of the copper
fill -- with a within wafer film uniformity of less than 5 percent, 3
sigma. Furthermore, the system's unique wafer contact scheme
eliminates edge and backside contact with the plating bath during the
electroplating process, preventing backside copper contamination.
About SEMATECH
Based in Austin, Texas, SEMATECH is a non-profit research and
development consortium of U.S. semiconductor manufacturing companies,
which include AMD, Digital, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, IBM, Lucent
Technologies, Motorola, National Semiconductor, Rockwell and Texas
Instruments. SEMATECH works with the member companies, equipment and
materials suppliers and other consortia to accelerate the development
of advanced, precompetitive semiconductor manufacturing processes,
materials and equipment. Development results are validated in
SEMATECH's Advanced Tool Development Facility (ATDF), which includes
wafer processing and tool demonstration support. Additional
information is available at www.sematech.org
About Novellus Systems
Novellus Systems Inc. manufactures, markets and services advanced
automated wafer fabrication systems for the deposition of thin films.
Novellus deposition systems are designed for high-volume production of
advanced, leading-edge semiconductors at the lowest overall cost.
Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., with subsidiaries in the United
Kingdom, France, Germany, the Netherlands, China, Japan, Korea,
Singapore and Taiwan, Novellus is a publicly traded company on the
Nasdaq stock exchange (NASDAQ:NVLS). Additional information about the
company is available on Novellus' home page on the World Wide Web,
located at novellus.com
CONTACT: Novellus Systems Inc.
Bob Climo, 408/943-9700 (Marcom Director)
bob.climo@novellus.com
or
SEMATECH
Jess Blackburn, 512/356-3118
jess.blackburn@sematech.org
or
MCA Inc.
Chris Castillo, 650/968-8900
ccastillo@mcapr.com
KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS COMED PRODUCT
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