Applied Materials Cuts Tool Footprint 20% with New DRAM Epitaxy System, Adds Three Packaging Platforms
AMAT•Applied Materials launched an enhanced Centura Prime Epi system that grows doped silicon germanium in DRAM source/drains, boosting transistor drive current and cutting tool footprint by 20%. It introduced Opta Quad CMP, Nokota VMax 2 ECD and Producer Avila 2 PECVD systems to improve yield in high-bandwidth memory 3D stacks.
1. Enhanced Centura Prime Epi for DRAM
Applied Materials introduced an enhanced Centura Prime Epi system that selectively grows doped silicon germanium and silicon phosphorous in DRAM source/drains, leveraging logic-class epitaxy to boost drive current. The tool cuts footprint by 20%, allowing higher tool density and faster capacity scaling in memory fabs.
2. New Advanced Packaging Tools
The Opta Quad CMP platform continuously monitors wafer conditions and dynamically adjusts polish parameters to improve uniformity for hybrid bonding in HBM stacks. Nokota VMax 2 ECD employs Adaptive Pattern Tuning to correct layout-driven variation in copper plating, while Producer Avila 2 PECVD deposits stress-balanced dielectric films to stabilize ultra-thin dies for 12-layer and higher HBM designs.
3. VeritySEM 7AP eBeam Metrology
VeritySEM 7AP brings wafer-fab-grade eBeam inspection to advanced packaging, enabling critical dimension metrology and defect review beyond the limits of optical tools. It is optimized for diverse substrate geometries and materials found in 3D chip stacks, enhancing process control and yield.
