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Product Briefing Outline: Applied Materials has launched the ‘Applied Reflexion GTTM’ CMP system to cater for the planarization of tungsten films. This CMP process is critical to fabricating the transistor contacts and vias in advanced DRAM, NAND and logic devices. With the Reflexion GT system's proven dual-wafer architecture, it is claimed to have the highest throughput and more than 40% lower cost-per-wafer than competing systems. The system offers closed-loop film thickness and uniformity control - a vital capability to achieve high yields of today's advanced transistor structures.

Problem: As devices become more complex, incorporating a wider variety of materials and a growing number of film layers, demands on chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) technology for enhanced removal uniformity, greater productivity, and lower costs continually expand. Future applications, such as 3D memory structures, will demand even greater removal control, while lower costs and higher productivity will be necessary if these new integration schemes are to be cost competitive.

Solution: The Applied Reflexion GT platform is the industry's only available 300mm dual-wafer CMP product that delivers the highest throughput density at the lowest cost per wafer, according to the company. Serving copper and tungsten applications, the platform is extendible to other applications and future technology nodes.  Complementing dedicated slurry delivery and pad conditioning for each wafer, the Reflexion GT system's advanced head and process controls, including in-platen metrology, allow for precise control of final thickness, ensuring benchmark uniformity within wafer and wafer to wafer.  For post-polish cleaning, a five-module dual cleaner (with an optional sixth module) features Applied Materials' production-proven Desica cleaning and rinsing technology with Marangoni vapor drying for fast, effective, watermark-free drying.

Applications: Chemical-mechanical polishing of tungsten films.

Platform: The Applied Reflexion GT platform, launched in late 2009, employs a unique dual-mode architecture enables two wafers to be processed simultaneously on each polishing pad to boost throughput and significantly cut consumable costs. The system's sophisticated, real-time profile and endpoint control technologies enable superior profile control and repeatability.

Availability: June 2011 onwards.