View PDFFREMONT, Calif., August 20, 2007--Lam Research Corporation (NASDAQ: LRCX) today announced it has shipped its first 300 mm 2300 Syndion etch system, designed for 3-D IC through-silicon via (TSV) etch applications. Additional 300 mm shipments are expected this quarter. Production release of the 2300 Syndion is planned during the first half of 2008.
"We believe we are the first supplier to ship a 300 mm system for TSV etch applications," said Lam Research's Jackie Seto, managing director, Software, MEMS, and 3-D IC Products, "and, by leveraging our extensive 300 mm and MEMS deep silicon etch production experience, we are taking a leading role in establishing the benchmarks for these challenging etch applications."
TSVs provide the interconnects for die-to-die and wafer-to-wafer stacking, eliminating wire bonding to increase device packing density (smaller form factor) and improve performance (higher speed and lower power). TSVs are created during wafer fabrication or later during assembly and packaging, and process integration schemes vary widely.
"Our customers are still in the early stages of development," said Seto, "so process flexibility is essential. The Syndion system has demonstrated etch capability for a wide range of integration schemes, with excellent uniformity across 300 mm wafers. The system has also etched vias ranging from 2 to 100 microns wide with depths of 20 microns to greater than 400 microns deep, while meeting our customers' exacting profile requirements."
The Syndion system's technology is based on Lam Research's patented high-density TCP® planar plasma source, which provides unprecedented etch rate uniformity and profile symmetry, preventing tilting. TCP technology operates in clean mode and employs Lam Research's proprietary bias voltage control for exceptional process repeatability.
Built on Lam Research's production-proven 2300 platform, the system enables both 200 mm and 300 mm operation and can be configured with process modules for both wafer sizes on the same system.
Lam Research has been working for more than two years with major semiconductor manufacturers around the world to develop TSV applications. The Company's entrance into the TSV market leverages its etch market leadership with more than 1,600 TCP-based 300 mm etch chambers on its 2300 platform and extensive deep silicon etch experience with MEMS based applications.
Statements made in this press release which are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements and are subject to the safe harbor provisions created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements relate, but are not limited, to the Company's expectations regarding the shipment of additional Syndion systems, the production release date of the Syndion, customer plans, including the stage of their process development and their need for process flexibility, and our ability to establish benchmarks on 3-D IC applications. Some factors that may affect these forward-looking statements include: the market acceptance of the Syndion systems, their performance in the field, the performance of our competitors' tools and the development of new technologies. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and are subject to uncertainties and changes in condition, significance, value and effect as well as 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, 2006, and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 25, 2007, which could cause actual results to vary from expectations. The Company undertakes no obligation to update the information or statements made in this press release.
Lam Research Corporation, one of Fortune magazine's "100 Fastest-Growing Companies" in 2006, is a major supplier of wafer fabrication equipment and services to the world's semiconductor industry and market share leader in plasma etch. Lam Research's common stock trades on The NASDAQ Global Select MarketSM under the symbol LRCX. Lam Research is a NASDAQ-100® company. For more information visit our web site at http://www.lamresearch.com.
Company Contact:
Jae Jun,
Product Communications,
phone: 510/572-5048,
e-mail: jae_yon.jun@lamresearch.com
Agency Contact:
Shawn Lynch,
Forerunner Communications,
phone: 816/500-8191,
e-mail: lynchshawn@sbcglobal.net