Applied Materials and IMEC enter into strategic research collaboration agreement for process technology; IMEC's Advanced Semiconductor Processing Group to work with Applied Materials' PVD Division to develop advanced metallization technology.

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 19, 1996--Applied Materials Inc. (Santa Clara, Calif.) and IMEC (Leuven, Belgium), an independent research and development organization that develops and licenses microelectronic technology worldwide, today announced that Applied Materials has entered into a three year collaboration agreement to develop advanced metallization process technology critical to 0.25 micron semiconductor manufacturing.

As part of this agreement, Applied Materials will install an Endura HP PVD system at IMEC and effective September 1996, Applied Materials will become a member of IMEC's Industrial Affiliates Program (IAP) on Advanced Metallization.

The Endura HP PVD system includes an advanced sputter etch module, Chorent titanium/titanium-nitride and Aluminum Physical Vapor Deposition (Al-PVD) chambers. According to Karen Maex, head of IMEC's Silicides and Metallization group, "To solve increasingly difficult problems in device scaling, the installation of this equipment helps us further explore the limits of Al-PVD-based metallization processes."

The research is being conducted at IMEC's facilities in Leuven, Belgium by IMEC researchers in close cooperation with Applied Materials' PVD Division in Santa Clara.

According to Gilbert Declerck, Vice-President of IMEC's Advanced Semiconductor Processing Division, "This collaboration fits into IMEC's strategy to choose strategic suppliers within the framework of its Industrial Affiliation Programs. This collaboration makes our process development programs even more valuable to our semiconductor industry research partners."

G. M. Amico, Applied Materials' Regional Product Manager, Europe, noted, "The Applied Materials Endura PVD platform and advanced process chambers enables IMEC to develop state-of-the-art metallization technology with their research partners that can be readily transferred to production."

Applied Materials is the industry's leading manufacturer of PVD systems, with Endura PVD systems installed in almost every major semiconductor fab worldwide. The Endura HP PVD is based on a multi-chamber dual loadlock architecture that allows the wafer to move through a staged vacuum sequence to achieve a base pressure of 10(-9) Torr to ensure maximum purity of the deposited films.

Some of the specific issues being investigated in IMEC's Industrial Affiliates Program on Advanced Metallization include:

-- optimization of contact and via fill processes: contact and via clean; titanium/titanium nitride deposition and its conformality; tungsten deposition and etchback; alternative filling with a less than 400:C Al-PVD process; electrical characterization of via and contact resistance; yield of contact and via chains.

-- optimization of the metal runners: texture, grain size, composition of the metal stack; new aluminum alloys; effects of passivation.

-- electromigration studies: fast migration tests with an emphasis on the detection of early failures; impact of materials and processing parameters; influence of scaling; impact on design rules.

-- stress migration aspects: evaluation/optimization of measurement techniques; impact of materials and processing.

-- new integration schemes: damascene technology with aluminum and copper; low k dielectrics; electroless copper deposition.

About IMEC:

IMEC was founded in 1984 and today is the largest independent research and development center of its kind in Europe. IMEC employs over 600 people. Its 36,000 sq. ft. clean room is dedicated to advanced research and development into semiconductor processing technologies. Its nearly $70 million revenue is derived from agreements and contracts with government agencies, aerospace and semiconductor industry companies worldwide.

CONTACT: For IMEC, USA

Georgia Marszalek, 415/345-7477

e-mail: [e-mail]

or

IMEC, Europe

Marianne Van den Broeck, (32) 16 28 14 91

e-mail: [e-mail]

or

IMEC, Belgium

G. Declerck, (32) 16 28 13 20

e-mail: [e-mail]

or

Delos Research Group

William van Cleemput, 408/733-8000

e-mail: [e-mail]

or

Applied Materials Inc.

Betty Newboe, 408/563-0647

e-mail: [e-mail]