Applied Materials' NanoSEM 3D System Enables CEA/LETI to Develop Sub-50nm Technology.

Business Editors/High Tech Writers

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 19, 2002

New Capability Breakthroughs Allow Consistent Sub-50nm

Measurements with less than 1nm Precision

Applied Materials, Inc. announces that its NanoSEM 3D(TM) system is the industry's first CD-SEM(1) to overcome the critical metrology challenges of sub-50nm chip manufacturing. Featuring key hardware and software innovations, the NanoSEM 3D system now enables chipmakers to measure gate lengths as small as 20nm with consistent precision to at least 0.6nm. This leading-edge technology is critical to chipmakers, which develop their new chip designs at least two generations in advance.

According to Jean-Philippe Gouy, Lithography and Etching Department manager of CEA/LETI Technology Research and Development Center in Grenoble, France, "The unique capabilities of Applied Materials' innovative 3D-enhanced metrology system is playing a key role in our most advanced process research and development, including the fabrication of gate structures as small as 20nm. By using the latest metrology improvements, we can explore some critical challenges of sub-50nm device development, such as new patterning methods, edge roughness and CD accuracy."

With the NanoSEM system's broad range of multi-directional electron beam tilt angles, users can automatically view and measure both the top and sides of chip features on every wafer. This unique capability, which provides the most accurate measurement of the real dimension and shape of advanced structures, allows customers to rapidly capture excursions invisible to conventional top-view CD metrology tools.

"The semiconductor industry's technology roadmap shows no known solution for sub-50nm CD metrology, yet we have now overcome this key hurdle by greatly enhancing the capabilities of our NanoSEM 3D system," said Dr. Gilad Almogy, vice president and general manager of Applied Materials' Process Diagnostics and Control business group. "Having this advanced measuring capability available in a production-worthy system allows chipmakers to continue the development of their sub-50nm technology, especially the critical gate structures that play such a large part in increasing chip speed."

Applied Materials (Nasdaq: AMAT), the largest supplier of products and services to the global semiconductor industry, is one of the world's leading information infrastructure providers. Applied Materials enables Information for Everyone(TM) by helping semiconductor manufacturers produce more powerful, portable and affordable chips. Applied Materials' Web site is www.appliedmaterials.com.

(1) CD-SEM = critical dimension scanning electron microscope