While the current economic environment is imposing severe constraints on the
semiconductor equipment industry, the primary driver for increasing profitability
for leading-edge chipmakers is still Moore's Law. However, moving to the next
technology node will require even higher levels of R+D investment to overcome
key technical barriers. The semiconductor equipment industry must find ways
to make today's reduced R+D budgets meet these challenges.
“The current size of the wafer fabrication equipment industry does not
support the significant levels of R+D spending needed to follow Moore's
Law and deliver leading-edge systems and processes to customers. This is becoming
an increasingly evident as logic, DRAM and flash technologies continue to diverge,”
said Tom St. Dennis, senior vice president and general manager of Applied's
Silicon Systems Group. “To support our customers in advancing their technology
roadmaps and provide critical customer services, we see the need for new business
models and alliances to optimize the utilization of our industry's resources.”
At SEMICON West in San Francisco this week, Applied Materials, Inc. will focus
on the strategies and technologies that will be needed for the semiconductor
industry to successfully navigate these challenging times. In an important ITRS
keynote panel on July 15, moderated by George Scalise, president of the SIA,
St. Dennis will join a panel of experts representing a cross-section of the
industry who will explore the impact of business model shifts on “the
Future of Innovation.”
Tom St. Dennis will also be featured at SEMI's press luncheon panel on
July 14 where he will provide insights into how the macroeconomic environment,
market drivers and cleantech are influencing the pace and direction of R+D
in semiconductor technology.
At SEMI's popular TechXPOT seminars, Applied will present key strategies
from three-dimensional (3-D) TSV* chip packaging to cutting-edge unit process
technologies. 3-D IC integration is a new way for chip designers to deliver
higher density, lower power consumption devices without necessarily scaling
the technology node. Find out how Applied and other equipment suppliers are
working together to enable the cost-effective adoption of this exciting technology.
Applied's technologists will also share the latest advances in fabrication
technology, including novel epitaxial processes for boosting transistor performance
and innovations to extend PVD technology to the 22nm node and beyond without
employing risky new integration schemes. For a complete schedule of Applied's
participation in the SEMICON West technical program, visit www.appliedmaterials.com/about/events.html.
Applied Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq:AMAT) is the global leader in Nanomanufacturing
Technology™ solutions with a broad portfolio of innovative equipment,
service and software products for the fabrication of semiconductor chips, flat
panel displays, solar photovoltaic cells, flexible electronics and energy efficient
glass. At Applied Materials, we apply Nanomanufacturing Technology to improve
the way people live.