Breakthrough EUV Dry Photoresist Technology from Lam Research Adopted by Leading Memory Manufacturer
Lam Research (Nasdaq: LRCX) announced that its Aether® dry photoresist technology has been chosen by a leading memory manufacturer as the production tool of record for advanced DRAM processes. The technology, introduced in 2020, enhances the capabilities of Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography in semiconductor production.
The memory manufacturer will implement Aether® tools in its most advanced DRAM nodes for dry resist underlayers, films, and development processes. This technology overcomes traditional tradeoffs between exposure dose and manufacturing defectivity, enabling precise, low-defect patterning while reducing costs and improving scanner productivity.
Notably, Aether® offers significant sustainability benefits, using five to ten times less chemicals than traditional wet chemical resist processes and consuming less energy. The technology enhances EUV sensitivity and pattern resolution, improving wafer adherence, performance, and yield in semiconductor manufacturing.
Lam Research (Nasdaq: LRCX) ha annunciato che la sua tecnologia di photoresist secco Aether® è stata scelta da un importante produttore di memoria come strumento di produzione di riferimento per processi DRAM avanzati. La tecnologia, introdotta nel 2020, potenzia le capacità della litografia a ultravioletti estremi (EUV) nella produzione di semiconduttori.
Il produttore di memoria implementerà gli strumenti Aether® nei suoi nodi DRAM più avanzati per strati di resistenza secca, film e processi di sviluppo. Questa tecnologia supera i compromessi tradizionali tra dose di esposizione e difettosità di produzione, consentendo una patterizzazione precisa e a bassa difettosità, riducendo i costi e migliorando la produttività degli scanner.
È importante notare che Aether® offre significativi vantaggi in termini di sostenibilità, utilizzando cinque o dieci volte meno sostanze chimiche rispetto ai processi tradizionali di resistenza chimica umida e consumando meno energia. La tecnologia potenzia la sensibilità EUV e la risoluzione dei pattern, migliorando l'adesione del wafer, le prestazioni e il rendimento nella produzione di semiconduttori.
Lam Research (Nasdaq: LRCX) anunció que su tecnología de fotoresist seco Aether® ha sido elegida por un importante fabricante de memoria como la herramienta de producción de referencia para procesos DRAM avanzados. La tecnología, introducida en 2020, mejora las capacidades de la litografía ultravioleta extrema (EUV) en la producción de semiconductores.
El fabricante de memoria implementará las herramientas Aether® en sus nodos DRAM más avanzados para capas de resist seco, películas y procesos de desarrollo. Esta tecnología supera los compromisos tradicionales entre la dosis de exposición y la defectuosa en la fabricación, permitiendo una patterización precisa y de baja defectuosidad, mientras reduce costos y mejora la productividad de los escáneres.
Es notable que Aether® ofrece beneficios significativos en sostenibilidad, utilizando de cinco a diez veces menos productos químicos que los procesos tradicionales de resist química húmeda y consumiendo menos energía. La tecnología mejora la sensibilidad EUV y la resolución del patrón, mejorando la adherencia del wafer, el rendimiento y el rendimiento en la fabricación de semiconductores.
램 리서치 (Nasdaq: LRCX)가 자사의 드라이 포토레지스트 기술 Aether®가 주요 메모리 제조업체에 의해 고급 DRAM 프로세스의 생산 도구로 선정되었다고 발표했습니다. 2020년에 도입된 이 기술은 반도체 생산에서 극자외선(EUV) 리소그래피의 능력을 향상시킵니다.
메모리 제조업체는 드라이 저항 하부층, 필름 및 개발 프로세스를 위해 가장 진보된 DRAM 노드에 Aether® 도구를 구현할 것입니다. 이 기술은 노출량과 제조 결함 간의 전통적인 타협을 극복하여 정밀하고 낮은 결함의 패터닝을 가능하게 하며, 비용을 절감하고 스캐너 생산성을 향상시킵니다.
특히 Aether®는 전통적인 습식 화학 저항 공정보다 5배에서 10배 적은 화학 물질을 사용하고 에너지를 덜 소비하여 상당한 지속 가능성 이점을 제공합니다. 이 기술은 EUV 민감도와 패턴 해상도를 향상시켜 웨이퍼의 접착력, 성능 및 수율을 개선합니다.
Lam Research (Nasdaq: LRCX) a annoncé que sa technologie de photorésist à sec Aether® a été choisie par un important fabricant de mémoire comme outil de production de référence pour des processus DRAM avancés. La technologie, introduite en 2020, améliore les capacités de la lithographie ultraviolette extrême (EUV) dans la production de semi-conducteurs.
Le fabricant de mémoire mettra en œuvre des outils Aether® dans ses nœuds DRAM les plus avancés pour des couches de résist sec, des films et des processus de développement. Cette technologie surmonte les compromis traditionnels entre la dose d'exposition et les défauts de fabrication, permettant un estampage précis à faible défaut, tout en réduisant les coûts et en améliorant la productivité des scanners.
Notamment, Aether® offre des avantages significatifs en matière de durabilité, utilisant cinq à dix fois moins de produits chimiques que les processus de résistance chimique humide traditionnels et consommant moins d'énergie. La technologie améliore la sensibilité EUV et la résolution des motifs, optimisant l'adhérence du wafer, les performances et le rendement dans la fabrication de semi-conducteurs.
Lam Research (Nasdaq: LRCX) hat bekanntgegeben, dass seine Aether® Trocken-Photoresist-Technologie von einem führenden Speicherhersteller als Produktionswerkzeug für fortschrittliche DRAM-Prozesse ausgewählt wurde. Die 2020 eingeführte Technologie verbessert die Möglichkeiten der extrem ultravioletten (EUV) Lithographie in der Halbleiterproduktion.
Der Speicherhersteller wird Aether®-Werkzeuge in seinen fortschrittlichsten DRAM-Nodes für trockene Resistent-Unterlagen, Filme und Entwicklungsprozesse implementieren. Diese Technologie überwinden die traditionellen Kompromisse zwischen Belichtungsdosis und Herstellungsfehlern und ermöglicht eine präzise, fehlerfreie Musterung, indem sie die Kosten senkt und die Scannerproduktivität erhöht.
Bemerkenswert ist, dass Aether® signifikante Nachhaltigkeitsvorteile bietet. Es verwendet fünf- bis zehnmal weniger Chemikalien als traditionelle nasschemische Resistprozesse und verbraucht weniger Energie. Die Technologie verbessert die EUV-Empfindlichkeit und die Musterauflösung, wodurch die Haftung des Wafers, die Leistung und die Ausbeute in der Halbleiterfertigung optimiert werden.
- Selected as production tool of record by major memory manufacturer
- Reduces manufacturing costs through improved scanner productivity
- Achieves 5-10x reduction in chemical usage compared to traditional processes
- Improves semiconductor yield and performance metrics
- Enhances EUV lithography efficiency and resolution
- None.
Insights
This breakthrough adoption of Lam Research's Aether® technology represents a significant competitive advantage in the semiconductor equipment market. The selection as a production tool of record by a major memory manufacturer validates Lam's innovation leadership and could drive substantial revenue growth in their EUV segment.
The technology's ability to reduce chemical usage by
The financial implications are substantial: 1) Immediate revenue potential from the tool orders for this memory manufacturer's production lines 2) Long-term recurring revenue from chemicals and services 3) Potential adoption by other memory manufacturers seeking to remain competitive, creating a multiplier effect on market opportunity.
The timing is particularly strategic as memory manufacturers are pushing toward advanced nodes to meet growing demand from AI and high-performance computing applications. This technology could accelerate the industry's transition to more advanced memory nodes, potentially disrupting the current cost curve for DRAM manufacturing.
The environmental implications of Aether's adoption extend beyond mere sustainability marketing. The 5-10x reduction in chemical consumption represents a transformative shift in semiconductor manufacturing's environmental footprint. This advancement addresses two critical challenges: the industry's chemical waste management costs and increasing regulatory pressure on semiconductor manufacturing emissions.
The technology's improved energy efficiency in the EUV process - one of the most energy-intensive steps in chip manufacturing - could significantly reduce the carbon footprint of memory production. This positions adopters favorably for upcoming carbon taxation and environmental regulations, particularly in regions with strict environmental controls.
The combination of environmental benefits with improved productivity creates a compelling business case that could accelerate industry-wide adoption of dry resist technology. This could reshape the semiconductor industry's approach to sustainable manufacturing, potentially establishing new standards for eco-efficient chip production.
"Lam's dry resist approach overcomes the biggest challenges of transferring fine DRAM designs to a wafer, delivering low-defect, high fidelity precision, while also offering key advantages in cost and sustainability," said Vahid Vahedi, chief technology and sustainability officer at Lam Research. "We are proud to collaborate with industry leaders to accelerate this DRAM patterning innovation into high-volume manufacturing."
The memory manufacturer will employ the Aether® tools in its most advanced DRAM nodes to form dry resist underlayers and films, and to use dry development processes. These processes overcome the traditional tradeoff between exposure dose and manufacturing defectivity to enable precise, low-defect patterning. This advancement drives down costs and enhances scanner productivity in the manufacturing of next-generation semiconductor devices.
Energy and compute intensive applications require continued scaling of memory capacity in an ever-smaller footprint to enable lower cost per bit of data. A key enabler of this scaling is industry-wide adoption of EUV lithography. Lam's dry photoresist technologies optimize the patterning process from resist application and stack deposition through final etching and cleaning, offering several advantages over conventional chemically amplified resist patterning.
Aether® significantly enhances EUV sensitivity and the resolution of each wafer pass, enabling the most challenging patterns to better adhere to the wafer and improving performance and yield. In addition, it offers key sustainability benefits by consuming less energy and five to ten times less chemicals than traditional wet chemical resist processes.
About Lam Research
Lam Research Corporation is a global supplier of innovative wafer fabrication equipment and services to the semiconductor industry. Lam's equipment and services allow customers to build smaller and better performing devices. In fact, today, nearly every advanced chip is built with Lam technology. We combine superior systems engineering, technology leadership, and a strong values-based culture, with an unwavering commitment to our customers. Lam Research (Nasdaq: LRCX) is a FORTUNE 500® company headquartered in
Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Statements made in this press release that are not of historical fact are forward-looking statements and are subject to the safe harbor provisions created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements relate to, but are not limited to: industry and market trends and expectations; customer adoption and usage of Lam products; and product performance, including technical, cost and sustainability benefits. Some factors that may affect these forward-looking statements include: the actions of our customers and competitors may be inconsistent with our expectations; business, political and/or regulatory conditions in the consumer electronics industry, the semiconductor industry and the overall economy may deteriorate or change; trade regulations, export controls, trade disputes, and other geopolitical tensions may inhibit our ability to sell our products; supply chain cost increases and other inflationary pressures have impacted and may continue to impact our profitability; supply chain disruptions or manufacturing capacity constraints may limit our ability to manufacture and sell our products; and natural and human-caused disasters, disease outbreaks, war, terrorism, political or governmental unrest or instability, or other events beyond our control may impact our operations and revenue in affected areas; as well as the other risks and uncertainties that are described in the documents filed or furnished by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including specifically the Risk Factors described in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024 and our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 29, 2024. These uncertainties and changes could materially affect the forward-looking statements and cause actual results to vary from expectations in a material way. The Company undertakes no obligation to update the information or statements made in this release.
Company Contacts:
Allison L. Parker
Media Relations
(510) 572-9324
publicrelations@lamresearch.com
Ram Ganesh
Investor Relations
(510) 572-1615
investor.relations@lamresearch.com
Source: Lam Research Corporation, (Nasdaq: LRCX)
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