Applied Materials Launches 2 New Chipmaking Systems for 3D Scaling

Applied Materials has launched two semiconductor manufacturing systems to help chipmakers process materials for deep, narrow 3D structures used in advanced logic and memory chips.

The company introduced the Centris Spectral SiN ALD and Producer Selectra Mo Etch systems to support scaling in logic and memory chips. The systems aim to improve processing precision in high-aspect-ratio 3D structures. Applied Materials said leading logic and memory chipmakers are already using the systems for advanced node manufacturing.

The launch comes as demand for AI computing drives chipmakers towards advanced 3D device architectures. These include gate-all-around transistors and high-layer-count 3D NAND memory. Existing deposition and etch methods often struggle to distribute materials evenly in deep structures. This can reduce electrical performance and manufacturing yield.

“As the industry pushes the limits of AI computing, the biggest opportunities are increasingly found in materials engineering,” said Prabu Raja, President of the Semiconductor Products Group at Applied Materials.

The new systems improve control over dielectric film deposition and metal removal. The company said this could help chipmakers improve device performance, energy efficiency and manufacturing yield for next-generation AI chips.

“From transistor structures to memory stacks, chipmakers need new ways to precisely deposit and selectively remove materials in extremely complex 3D architectures,” Raja added.

The Centris Spectral SiN ALD system focuses on depositing silicon nitride in challenging 3D chip structures by using microwave plasma technology at low temperatures. This process supports uniform film deposition in tall and narrow structures.

The company said the system could support scaling in both DRAM and logic devices. In gate-all-around transistors, it can form liners for transistor contacts to reduce resistance and capacitance.

Applied Materials added that leading chipmakers have started adopting the system. It forms part of the company’s Spectral ALD platform.

The Producer Selectra Mo Etch system, on the other hand, aims to support higher layer counts in 3D NAND memory chips. The system selectively removes molybdenum used in wordline metallisation. This process helps isolate wordlines and reduce electrical shorts.

Applied Materials said the system improves etching precision across deep structures. It also reduces variability in 3D NAND stacks, thereby improving data retention. The company said manufacturers have already validated the system for high-volume production.