Applied Materials,
Inc. today announced that it is leading a major effort to enable the widespread
adoption of through-silicon vias (TSVs), a rapidly-emerging approach for vertically
stacking integrated circuits (ICs) to boost chip performance and functionality
in a smaller area. TSVs will be critical to satisfying consumers' demands
for faster, smaller electronics, enabling applications such as DDR4 DRAM memories
and future communications and mobile internet chips. Since the biggest roadblock
to implementing TSVs is cost, Applied is working internally and with other equipment
suppliers to develop an integrated, high-performance on-wafer process flow to
lower the cost, reduce the risk and accelerate time to market for customers.
Three-dimensional (3-D) IC integration is a new way for chip designers to deliver
higher density, lower power consumption devices in a smaller footprint-without
necessarily scaling the technology node. By modifying conventional wafer processing
and packaging steps, multiple layers of similar or varying 2-D devices are stacked
and interconnected using TSVs so they function as a single device-thus
avoiding the cost, space and performance issues associated with combining multiple
functions on one chip.
There are several approaches to TSV implementation, and Applied has the production-proven
300mm systems and processes required for the majority of TSV manufacturing steps,
including mask, etch, film deposition and CMP* technologies. For example, the
simultaneously announced Applied Centura® Silvia™ etch system was
designed specifically to enable high-performance, low-cost TSV applications.
To accelerate mainstream adoption, Applied is working with other equipment suppliers,
such as Semitool, Inc. and wafer bonders, to fully characterize inter-process
dependencies while lowering overall costs.
The value of TSV-enabled products is expected to increase significantly based
on their enhanced performance that will in turn offset the increased cost of
manufacturing. The EMC-3D Consortium of equipment suppliers estimates this cost
target to be $190 per wafer; Applied's goal is to reduce this cost to
less than $150 per wafer.
"TSV technology will revolutionize chip designs and has great potential
to expand into more sophisticated integrated memory/logic applications. Our
collaboration with other equipment suppliers is an innovative way of doing business
that is beneficial for the industry and can solve our customers' problems,"
said Hans Stork, group vice president and CTO of Applied's Silicon Systems
Group. "The capability to validate complete process flows at our Maydan
Technology Center gives us a unique window into how we can lower the cost and
mitigate customer risk in adopting TSV processes. By providing the technology
and key supplier relationships, we can help accelerate the adoption of TSVs
for mainstream manufacturing."