Press Releases

Lam Releases TCP^® 9400DFM (Designed For Manufacture) Poly Etch System FREMONT, Calif., July 6, 2000-Lam Research Corporation (Nasdaq: LRCX) today released the TCP^® 9400DFM high-density plasma (HDP) poly etch system for advanced 0.13 mm and below devices. The new system runs multiple advanced silicon applications in the same chamber while delivering industry-leading productivity (throughput up to 46 WPH for 3 chambers), process flexibility, and particle control. Its innovative new design features combine to provide superior CD and profile uniformity and reliability.

The TCP 9400DFM performs all gate applications, including poly, polycide, and metal gate, as well as BARC, in situ mask open, and shallow trench isolation (STI) in the same chamber. The new system also enables reliable chamber matching and allows the maximum time between cleans (MTBC >20,000 RF minutes) for a low cost of ownership.

"We have retained leadership in the poly etch market because of our ongoing development program which enables us to continuously improve our designs to address our customers' most urgent concerns. For example, introduction of our ceramic-free chamber provided superior particle performance for smaller geometries and significantly extended the time between wet cleans for greater productivity. In addition, the system's inherently broad process flexibility enabled development of important processes like in situ mask open and top corner rounding for STI. This patent-pending approach offers improved performance and lower cost of ownership while eliminating encroachment into the active area," commented Dr. Richard Gottscho, Lam's vice president of conductor etch technology and engineering.

"The TCP 9400DFM provides the most advanced poly etch system available today. It builds on the phenomenal success of our TCP 9400 series that has an installed base of more than 800 chambers worldwide," Gottscho continued.

The Designed For Manufacture features of the TCP 9400DFM improve CD and profile uniformity and wafer-to-wafer, lot-to-lot, machine-to-machine etch repeatability while maintaining reliability and lower cost of ownership. In addition, the TCP 9400PTX chambers can be upgraded to the TCP 9400DFM to extend product lifetime.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements which are subject to the Safe Harbor provisions created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements relate to the performance of the company's products in customer facilities, future performance on new and existing manufacturing processes, acceptance and competitiveness of the company's products and market transition to new processes. Such statements are based on current expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and changes in condition, such as a continued downturn in the semiconductor equipment market affecting existing orders and shipment schedules, and other risks detailed in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including specifically the report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 1999, and the Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 26, 2000. The company undertakes no obligation to update the information in this Press Release.

Lam Research Corporation is a leading supplier of front-end wafer fabrication equipment and services to the world's semiconductor industry. The company's common stock trades on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol LRCX. Lam's World Wide Web address is http://www.lamrc.com.