Novellus Systems Launches SABRE(R) Excel(TM) for 22nm Copper Electroplating
20 Ottobre 2009 - 10:07PM
PR Newswire (US)
Hardware Enhancements Including IRISCell(TM) and Multiwave(TM)
Entry Improve Plating Performance on Thin seeds; Reduce Defectivity
SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Novellus
Systems (NASDAQ:NVLS) today introduced the SABRE Excel, an advanced
copper electroplating system designed to provide industry-leading
fill and defect density performance for the 22nm technology node
and beyond. SABRE Excel builds upon the production-proven SABRE, a
platform already employed in the manufacture of more than 80
percent of the world's copper interconnect devices. The SABRE Excel
platform features a new deposition module incorporating Novellus'
patented IRISCell technology, as well as new hardware, software and
communications upgrades to the process tool's mainframe.
Additionally, an advanced plating process has been developed for
SABRE Excel to take advantage of these new, innovative features.
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The new feature set addresses the key challenges associated with
scaling copper electroplating to the 22nm technology node. In order
to address device reliability concerns at these advanced
geometries, the industry is trending towards the use of very thin
alloy PVD seed layers. While thicker PVD seed layers can cause
copper voiding, thinner seed layers result in increased seed
resistance, making it difficult to achieve the uniform current
density required for consistent feature fill during the initial
stages of electrochemical deposition (ECD). Novellus' IRISCell
technology eliminates this issue by employing patented field
shaping elements that enable dynamic current modulation during the
deposition process. Thin PVD seeds also create a challenge for
uniform nucleation of the copper film. To address this problem,
SABRE Excel's new plating process, called Multiwave entry, provides
millisecond control of the voltage profile during the initial
stages of copper deposition. In addition to the hardware advances
designed to address thin seed challenges, the SABRE Excel platform
introduces a number of innovative new features targeted at meeting
the defect and yield requirements for 22nm. The propensity for
"killer" defects has been dramatically reduced using a proprietary,
low-corrosion electrolyte. The number of chips per wafer has also
been improved by increasing the usable die area through a reduction
of the process edge exclusion to only 1mm. "We are confident that
the SABRE Excel system will serve as the new benchmark of copper
ECD for advanced technology nodes," said Sesha Varadarajan, vice
president and general manager of Novellus' Electrofill business
unit. "The results we have achieved with the new IRISCell and
Multiwave entry technologies have driven several of the industry's
leading manufacturers to place orders for the system with shipments
beginning in Q4 of this year." About SABRE: For advanced,
high-volume manufacturing applications, Novellus' copper
electrochemical deposition hardware, processes, and chemistries
combine industry-leading throughput with bottoms-up, void-free
filling of the industry's most state-of-the-art device structures.
Eight out of 10 copper wafers in the world are manufactured on
Novellus SABRE Electrofill® systems. About Novellus: Novellus
Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:NVLS) is a leading provider of advanced
process equipment for the global semiconductor industry. The
company's products deliver value to customers by providing
innovative technology backed by trusted productivity. An S&P
500 company, Novellus is headquartered in San Jose, Calif. with
subsidiary offices across the globe. For more information, please
visit http://www.novellus.com/ Novellus, SABRE and Electrofill are
registered trademarks, and SABRE Excel, IRISCell and Multiwave are
trademarks of Novellus Systems, Inc.
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http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Novellus Systems CONTACT:
Bob Climo of Novellus Systems, Inc., +1-408-943-9700, ; or Marla
Kertzman of The Hoffman Agency, +1-408-975-3032, , for Novellus
Systems, Inc. Web Site: http://www.novellus.com/
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