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Novellus’ resist strip system becomes tool of record at major Asian foundry
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Novellus Systems has said that its Gamma GxT photoresist strip system has become a process tool of record at a major Asia based foundry. The tool has been qualified for 45nm production.
"Gamma GxT, which is targeted at high-performance, leading edge logic applications, has clearly demonstrated superior results with reduced silicon loss. This is a key parameter for logic processes at 45nm and below,” stated Kevin Jennings, vice president and general manager of Novellus’ strip business.
“Continued device scaling by the semiconductor industry has led to a need for highly doped shallow transistor junctions,” said Dan Hutcheson, CEO of VLSI Research. “With implant profiles closer to the surface, silicon loss during photoresist strip becomes a key challenge, and adds significantly to the complexity of photoresist removal during IC manufacturing for logic devices.”
However, it is still unclear when the major foundries will enter volume production at the 45nm, outside a small group of early adopting large fabless companies. The ramp of 65nm production has taken longer than the major foundries had expected and remains in low double-digit percentage of revenues at best, more than two years after volume production started.