Applied Materials Announces Next-Generation CVD Gap-Fill Technology; Centura HDP-CVD Provides Production-Ready Precision Gap Fill for 0.25 micron Devices.

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--February 14, 1996--Applied Materials, Inc. strengthens its leadership in dielectric chemical vapor deposition (DCVD) technology with the introduction of the Centura HDP-CVD system. This next-generation CVD product is targeted for the production of critical interconnect device structures on advanced logic and memory ICs. Combining the proven reliability of the multi-chamber Centura platform with a new high density plasma (HDP) CVD process, this production-ready system provides precision gap fill of high aspect ratio spaces for the industry's most challenging multilevel metal devices.

"Our focus on CVD products within Applied Materials has led to a significant CVD market share momentum in an expanding market," said Dr. Ashok Sinha, president of Applied Materials' CVD Product Business Group. "We have now developed the capability to enter new sub-market segments within the overall CVD market as well as to create new enabling applications. The Centura HDP-CVD provides such an enabling capability for high speed interconnects and tighter spaced transitors. Moreover, we have assembled an outstanding technical and operational team along with a global infrastructure in order to rapidly commercialize such new products."

The Centura HDP-CVD is available with up to four independent HDP-CVD process chambers for high throughput gap fill of up to 40 wafers per hour. Mean-time-between-failure (MTBF) of 250 hours and low preventive maintenance provide maximum customer productivity.

The Centura HDP-CVD features a new high-performance, inductively-coupled plasma chamber design with high plasma uniformity for damage-free process results. A proprietary electrostatic chuck offers demonstrated reliable performance and unmatched temperature uniformity control. Developed for 0.25 micron device geometries and beyond, the system delivers void-free dielectric gap filling between metal structures with aspect ratios of up to 3:1. Production worthiness of the Centura HDP-CVD has been demonstrated in customer marathon testing, showing high process stability, low particle counts of less or equal to 0.05 defects/cm (squared), and averaging more than 3000 wafers processed per chamber between cleans.

"One of the things that makes the Centura HDP-CVD films unique is the range of device applications. In addition to intermetal dielectric gap fill, we've demonstrated excellent performance for such applications as shallow trench isolation and pre-metal dielectric -- all of which will play a large role in less or equal to 0.25 micron device fabrication," stated Dr. Romeck Nowak, general manager of Dielectric CVD Division II at Applied Materials. "In addition, we currently have development programs with strategic customers worldwide to evaluate low dielectric constant HDP-CVD films for 0.18 micron device geometries."

Over 12 Centura HDP-CVD systems are currently in production or in qualification at pilot production sites in the U.S., Japan, Korea and Europe; more than 20 systems are already scheduled for customer delivery in 1996. Centura HDP-CVD system prices start at $2.6 million; actual price depends on configuration and options.

The Centura HDP-CVD is the latest addition to Applied Materials' family of highly successful, production-proven CVD systems targeted for deep-submicron device processing. These systems provide enabling technologies for the manufacture of leading edge logic and memory devices that are essential for products such as state-of-the-art computers, smart cards, advanced consumer electronics, and communication technology.

The Centura HDP-CVD is an integral part of Applied Materials' strategy to offer its customers a complete manufacturing solution for the fabrication of multilayer interconnect structures in advanced devices. Interconnect fabrication comprises more than 50% of the steps required for device processing. These process steps include physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), conductor and dielectric etch, and chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) -- all of which are offered by Applied Materials. By using a complete process sequence of fully characterized interconnect technologies from Applied Materials, semiconductor manufacturers can concentrate on device design and manufacturing, rather than compatibility issues among different pieces of equipment.

Applied Materials, Inc. is a global growth company and the world's largest supplier of wafer fabrication systems and services to the global semiconductor industry. Applied Materials is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol, "AMAT."

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Bill Ong (financial community), 408/235-6232