View PDFLam Research Corporation Takes Metal Processing To New Level With New TCP® 9600DFM FREMONT, Calif., June 18, 2001 - Lam Research Corporation (Nasdaq: LRCX) today released the TCP 9600DFM (Designed For Manufacture) high-density metal etch system. The new system provides superior throughput, availability, and performance for sub-150 nm applications. Several design advances combine to virtually eliminate the cost of consumables (CoC). Together, these advances make the new TCP 9600DFM the industry's most productive, reliable, advanced metal etch system available.
"The TCP 9600DFM opens the process window by improving the resist and oxide etch rate uniformities -without compromising critical dimension (CD) uniformity," stated Dr. Richard Gottscho, Lam's vice president of conductor etch technology and engineering. "This increases process flexibility for more demanding applications, which significantly lowers cost of ownership (CoO)."
Productivity enhancements include advances in etch rates, mean time between clean (MTBC), and mean time between failure (MTBF)-and a broad process window for superior on-wafer performance. Key design changes combine to extend component lifetime for a lower overall CoC and provide a consistent chamber environment for predictable process results on small geometries. The net result of the new system's advanced design is an extremely low cost of consumables and superior CD control.
According to Alan Walker, Hynix Semiconductor Manufacturing of America, "We have tripled our MTBC to more than 300 RF hours and are extremely pleased with performance of the new TCP 9600DFM system. In making the transition from Lam's TCP 9600PTX, we experienced only a slight process shift and an easy requalification process. In addition, based on our experience to date, we are anticipating a drop in overall CoO as well."
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 process performance, operational performance, and potential cost reductions, any or all of which may vary or not materialize, and the ability to move processes from one machine or facility to another. Such statements are based on current expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and changes in condition, significance, value and effect including those 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 March 25, 2001, which could cause actual results to vary from expectations. The company undertakes no obligation to update the information in this Press Release.
Lam Research Corporation is a leading supplier of 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.