View PDFLam Research Corporation Launches Industry's First 200- And 300-Mm Capable Etch Product Line FREMONT, Calif., November 16, 2000-Lam Research Corporation (Nasdaq: LRCX) today launched its 2300TM Etch Series, a complete advanced etch product line for both 200- and 300-mm wafers. The small-footprint, open-architecture 2300 platform handles four process modules and enables advanced factory and process automation and industry-leading throughput for high productivity. The versatile 2300 Exelan®, 2300 VersysTM, Silicon, and 2300 VersysTM Metal Etch Systems support all etch applications for sub-130 nanometer technology nodes. They combine proven, extendible technologies with advanced capability to enable etching of the most challenging new materials and structures.
The new systems address risk for chip manufacturers in three significant ways, providing:
- The high level of flexibility and advanced capability required for leading-edge device technology, including etching metal gates and low k dual damascene structures.
- Next-generation development at 200 mm, where leading-edge wafers are more readily available, that can quickly be scaled to 300-mm production.
- Early maturity for 300-mm volume production since volume production learning will occur at 200 mm this year.
"The inherent flexibility and low risk of implementing new process and monitoring technologies provides customers with a distinct competitive advantage," commented Dr. David Hemker, Lam's vice president of new product development. "We believe these advances in equipment design will significantly change the way chip manufacturers implement process changes in the future."
The 2300 process modules were designed specifically to address the requirements of today's most advanced device manufacturing. The technology further advances the broadly accepted dual frequency confined and transformer coupled plasma production solutions currently employed by a large global customer base. Their process flexibility enables handling complex integration schemes and new process materials.
The platform employs modular software designed to provide advanced factory automation and automated process control. Customers can rapidly integrate and test new technologies to address future monitoring and control needs independently. The new software also features a web-enabled architecture to facilitate communication from remote locations, supporting shared development and troubleshooting.
The low-cost, high-performance Exelan Dielectric 2300 Etch System brings the benefits of the dual frequency confined plasma technology into 300 mm. The technology is currently used in volume production around the world for a broad range of etch applications, including copper damascene, low k, spacer, contact, via, and in situ hardmask open. The flexibility of the Exelan 2300 enables integrated, in situ photoresist strip and barrier removal required for advanced copper damascene.
The Versys Silicon 2300 Etch System provides superior performance at the lowest cost of ownership (CoO); a large process window allows for high performance at sub-130 nanometer. The system offers the broadest portfolio of proven 130-nanometer processes for production, including advanced gate BARC, resist trim, hardmask open, and STI in the same chamber.
The Versys Silicon system's production-proven ceramic-free chamber enables in situ waferless auto cleans for a high mean time between wet cleans and excellent particle performance for high yields. The silicon etch module also offers interferometric endpoint detection as an option. This provides reliable etch endpoint detection for very thin gate dielectrics in gate etch and for depth monitoring in shallow trench isolation.
The Versys Metal 2300 Etch System provides superior process performance and reliability and the lowest CoO for advanced metal etch. It handles aluminum etch and integrated resist removal with high throughput. For customers starting with aluminum etch and later moving to copper processes, the modular design of the Versys metal etch chamber allows for easy conversion to a silicon etch chamber.
Lam's 2300 Etch Series has been gaining process experience in the field for more than two years. Earlier this year, Lam received Top Tier Supplier and Etch Tool Readiness awards for 300 mm from the SEMICONDUCTOR300 fab in Dresden, Germany.
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 include, without limitation, the prospective demand for and customer use of the company's products, acceptance and competitiveness of the company's products, future machine and process performance, operating costs in a production environment, and market transition to new products and processes. Such statements are based on current expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and changes in condition 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 25, 2000, and the Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 24, 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 processing equipment and services to the worldwide semiconductor manufacturing 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.