Applied Materials Launches Industry's Broadest 300mm Product Line for Advanced Interconnect Applications.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 10, 2000

Electra Cu(TM) Barrier/Seed 300 -- Electra Cu Integrated ECP 300 --

Endura(R) Integrated Liner/Barrier 300 -- Endura PVD 300 --

Producer(R) S 300 -- Sprint(TM) Tungsten CVD Centura(R) 300 --

Ultima HDP-CVD(TM) Centura 300 -- Systems Minimize Risk and

Provide High Productivity for 300mm Manufacturing

Applied Materials, Inc. today extends its position as the leading supplier of deposition systems to the global semiconductor industry by releasing seven new 300mm production systems that cover all the dielectric and metal deposition steps required to fabricate advanced interconnects. Combining proven leading-edge technologies with critical innovations that support 24 processing applications, the 7 new systems provide a minimum-risk, factory-efficient approach to 300mm interconnect manufacturing, including copper and low k dielectric chip designs.

"The goal for our 300mm product line, as well as our 200mm systems, is to provide the most advanced interconnect technology with the greatest efficiency, productivity and extendibility," said Dr. Ashok Sinha, president of Applied Materials' Interconnect Systems and Modules Business Group. "Enhancements we have made to our Centura, Electra Cu ECP, Endura and Producer platforms for 300mm reflect engineering excellence -- designed to help customers speed installation, streamline operations and simplify maintenance while enabling breakthrough automation and advanced process control capability. These are all essential features for profitable 300mm processing."

For 300mm dielectric CVD (chemical vapor deposition) applications, Applied Materials offers the same unmatched capabilities, process technologies and advanced applications that have made its DCVD systems benchmark technologies in the industry. These systems deposit virtually all of the widely used dielectric plasma CVD films as well as HDP-CVD (high-density plasma-CVD) and SACVD (sub-atmospheric CVD) technologies. Applied Materials' 300mm dielectric CVD product line includes the Ultima HDP-CVD Centura 300 and Producer S 300 which features integrated inspection options for film thickness and particle measurement. Both systems utilize a common factory interface module.

For low k technologies, the dielectric CVD product line will include Black Diamond(TM), an advanced low-k CVD film technology that has recently demonstrated a dielectric constant below 2.4. Paired with the company's BLOk(TM) barrier low k film, Black Diamond enables the creation of low k stack structures and provides an easily integrated dielectric solution for dual damascene copper interconnect processing.

Applied Materials also offers a full range of 300mm metal deposition systems for fabricating advanced aluminum and copper dual damascene interconnects, supporting geometries down to 0.1 micron and below. These systems include the Electra Cu Integrated ECP 300, Endura Electra Cu Barrier/Seed 300, Endura Integrated Liner/Barrier 300, Endura PVD 300, and Sprint Tungsten CVD Centura 300. All PVD applications use the Endura 300 and new Endura SL 300 platforms.

Applied Materials' newest deposition technology, electrochemical plating, is featured on the Electra Cu Integrated ECP 300 system, which provides advanced copper fill in a 200mm/300mm capable system. The system's advanced chemistry, chemical management and system architecture offers chipmakers new capabilities for 300mm production.

Applied Materials (Nasdaq:AMAT) is a leader of the Information Age and the world's largest supplier of products and services to the global semiconductor and flat panel display industries. Applied Materials' web site is http://www.appliedmaterials.com.