Lam Research Unveils Industry's Most Advanced Conductor Etch Technology to Date
Lam Research (LRCX) has unveiled Akara®, its most advanced conductor etch technology to date, designed for 3D chipmaking. The breakthrough system features DirectDrive® technology, delivering plasma responses 100x faster than previous sources and enabling atomic-scale feature creation.
Akara builds upon Lam's Kiyo® conductor etch tool legacy, which has over 30,000 chambers in production since 2004. The new technology enables scaling of gate-all-around transistors, 6F2 DRAM, and 3D NAND devices, with future compatibility for 4F2 DRAM and 3D DRAM. Key features include TEMPO plasma pulsing for enhanced etch selectivity and SNAP ion energy control for atomic precision.
The system has been selected by leading manufacturers as the production tool of record for advanced DRAM and foundry GAA applications, with repeat orders indicating strong market validation.
Lam Research (LRCX) ha presentato Akara®, la sua tecnologia di incisione dei conduttori più avanzata fino ad oggi, progettata per la produzione di chip 3D. Il sistema innovativo è dotato della tecnologia DirectDrive®, che offre risposte al plasma 100 volte più veloci rispetto alle fonti precedenti, consentendo la creazione di caratteristiche su scala atomica.
Akara si basa sull'eredità dello strumento di incisione dei conduttori Kiyo® di Lam, che conta oltre 30.000 camere in produzione dal 2004. La nuova tecnologia permette di scalare transistor gate-all-around, DRAM 6F2 e dispositivi NAND 3D, con compatibilità futura per DRAM 4F2 e DRAM 3D. Le caratteristiche principali includono il pulsare al plasma TEMPO per una selettività di incisione migliorata e il controllo dell'energia degli ioni SNAP per una precisione atomica.
Il sistema è stato selezionato dai principali produttori come strumento di produzione per applicazioni avanzate di DRAM e foundry GAA, con ordini ripetuti che indicano una forte validazione del mercato.
Lam Research (LRCX) ha presentado Akara®, su tecnología de grabado de conductores más avanzada hasta la fecha, diseñada para la fabricación de chips 3D. El sistema innovador cuenta con la tecnología DirectDrive®, que ofrece respuestas de plasma 100 veces más rápidas que las fuentes anteriores y permite la creación de características a escala atómica.
Akara se basa en el legado de la herramienta de grabado de conductores Kiyo® de Lam, que tiene más de 30,000 cámaras en producción desde 2004. La nueva tecnología permite la escalabilidad de transistores gate-all-around, DRAM 6F2 y dispositivos NAND 3D, con compatibilidad futura para DRAM 4F2 y DRAM 3D. Las características clave incluyen el pulso de plasma TEMPO para una selectividad de grabado mejorada y el control de energía de iones SNAP para una precisión atómica.
El sistema ha sido seleccionado por los principales fabricantes como la herramienta de producción para aplicaciones avanzadas de DRAM y foundry GAA, con pedidos repetidos que indican una fuerte validación del mercado.
Lam Research (LRCX)는 3D 칩 제조를 위해 설계된 가장 진보된 도체 에칭 기술인 Akara®를 공개했습니다. 이 혁신적인 시스템은 이전 소스보다 100배 빠른 플라즈마 응답을 제공하는 DirectDrive® 기술을 특징으로 하며, 원자 규모의 특성 생성을 가능하게 합니다.
Akara는 2004년부터 30,000개 이상의 챔버가 생산 중인 Lam의 Kiyo® 도체 에칭 도구의 유산을 기반으로 합니다. 새로운 기술은 게이트 올 어라운드 트랜지스터, 6F2 DRAM, 3D NAND 장치의 스케일링을 가능하게 하며, 향후 4F2 DRAM 및 3D DRAM에 대한 호환성을 제공합니다. 주요 기능으로는 개선된 에칭 선택성을 위한 TEMPO 플라즈마 펄싱과 원자 수준의 정밀도를 위한 SNAP 이온 에너지 제어가 포함됩니다.
이 시스템은 주요 제조업체들에 의해 고급 DRAM 및 파운드리 GAA 응용 프로그램을 위한 생산 도구로 선택되었으며, 반복 주문은 강력한 시장 검증을 나타냅니다.
Lam Research (LRCX) a dévoilé Akara®, sa technologie d'etching de conducteurs la plus avancée à ce jour, conçue pour la fabrication de puces 3D. Ce système révolutionnaire intègre la technologie DirectDrive®, offrant des réponses plasma 100 fois plus rapides que les sources précédentes et permettant la création de caractéristiques à l'échelle atomique.
Akara s'appuie sur l'héritage de l'outil d'etching de conducteurs Kiyo® de Lam, qui compte plus de 30 000 chambres en production depuis 2004. La nouvelle technologie permet l'évolutivité des transistors gate-all-around, du DRAM 6F2 et des dispositifs NAND 3D, avec une compatibilité future pour le DRAM 4F2 et le DRAM 3D. Les caractéristiques clés incluent la pulsation plasma TEMPO pour une sélectivité d'etching améliorée et le contrôle de l'énergie des ions SNAP pour une précision atomique.
Le système a été sélectionné par les principaux fabricants comme outil de production pour des applications avancées de DRAM et de foundry GAA, avec des commandes répétées indiquant une forte validation du marché.
Lam Research (LRCX) hat Akara® vorgestellt, seine bisher fortschrittlichste Technologie zur Ätzung von Leitern, die für die 3D-Chip-Herstellung entwickelt wurde. Das bahnbrechende System verfügt über die DirectDrive®-Technologie, die Plasma-Antworten 100-mal schneller als frühere Quellen liefert und die Erstellung von atomaren Strukturen ermöglicht.
Akara baut auf dem Erbe des Kiyo®-Leiterätswerkzeugs von Lam auf, das seit 2004 über 30.000 Kammern in der Produktion hat. Die neue Technologie ermöglicht die Skalierung von Gate-All-Around-Transistoren, 6F2 DRAM und 3D NAND-Geräten, mit zukünftiger Kompatibilität für 4F2 DRAM und 3D DRAM. Zu den Hauptmerkmalen gehören TEMPO-Plasma-Pulsierung zur Verbesserung der Ätzselektivität und SNAP-Ionenenergiekontrolle für atomare Präzision.
Das System wurde von führenden Herstellern als Produktionswerkzeug für fortschrittliche DRAM- und Foundry-GAA-Anwendungen ausgewählt, wobei wiederholte Bestellungen eine starke Marktvalidierung anzeigen.
- Selected as production tool of record by leading manufacturers
- Secured repeat orders with growing installed base
- Achieves 100x faster plasma responses compared to previous sources
- Builds on successful Kiyo® platform with 30,000+ chambers in production
- None.
Insights
The launch of Akara marks a pivotal moment in semiconductor manufacturing technology, with implications that extend far beyond mere technical specifications. This breakthrough addresses the $500+ billion semiconductor industry's most pressing challenge: scaling chip production while maintaining precision and yield.
The technology's significance is underscored by three key market-moving factors:
- The 100x faster plasma response capability directly translates to higher yields and lower defect rates in EUV lithography processes, potentially reducing production costs by double-digit percentages for leading-edge chips
- TSMC's public endorsement, particularly from their executive leadership, signals likely large-scale adoption across their advanced nodes, which could translate into billions in revenue for Lam Research
- The system's compatibility with next-generation architectures (GAA, 4F2 DRAM, 3D DRAM) positions Lam Research advantageously for the next 3-5 years of semiconductor evolution
The rapid customer adoption and repeat orders indicate strong market validation. This positions Lam Research to potentially capture a larger share of the $15+ billion etch equipment market, particularly as the industry transitions to more complex 3D architectures.
The timing of this release is strategic, coinciding with the industry's push toward advanced packaging and heterogeneous integration. The Akara platform's ability to handle these complex processes with atomic precision could create a significant competitive moat, especially given the 30,000+ installed base of its predecessor, Kiyo.
"Building on more than 20 years of continuous conductor etch innovation, our groundbreaking new Akara etcher leverages Lam's proprietary DirectDrive® technology to deliver the controlled creation of atomic-scale features with plasma responses that are 100x faster," said Sesha Varadarajan, senior vice president of the Global Products Group at Lam Research. "Akara is a generational leap forward in conductor etch capabilities for shaping small, complex structures for the 3D era of chips."
Akara extends decades of Lam leadership in conductor etch. This includes multiple generations of the company's highly successful Kiyo® conductor etch tool, which was introduced in 2004 and now has more than 30,000 chambers in production.
Akara enables the scaling of gate-all-around (GAA) transistors and 6F2 DRAM and 3D NAND devices, and is extendible for 4F2 DRAM, complementary field effect transistors, and 3D DRAM. These devices require challenging critical etch steps and precise Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography patterning to form complex 3D structures. Angstrom-level precision is required to create small features with progressively higher aspect ratios — beyond the current capabilities of mainstream plasma etch technologies.
"As global demand for semiconductors continues to grow, innovative technology solutions from our partners are required to enable new, more powerful device architectures," said Dr. Y.J. Mii, executive vice president and co-chief operating officer at TSMC. "Critical plasma etch capabilities will be an integral part of solving the many production challenges these new devices pose."
Akara leverages proprietary etch solutions invented by Lam to tackle these issues.
- DirectDrive, the industry's first solid-state plasma source, generates plasma with 100x faster responsiveness than previous sources, resulting in fewer EUV patterning defects.
- TEMPO plasma pulsing, a unique capability to control plasma species, provides new levels of etch selectivity and microloading performance.
- SNAP is a leading-edge ion energy control system that shapes etch profiles with atomic precision.
Designed for high-volume production with maximum process yield, Akara optimizes wafer output with millisecond response times. Sophisticated etch uniformity controls ensure wafer-to-wafer repeatability. Integrated on Lam's high-productivity Sense.i® platform, Akara leverages Equipment Intelligence® solutions for automated maintenance to reduce overall equipment upkeep. Together, these features enable chipmakers to drive greater value from their manufacturing equipment.
Akara has been selected by leading device manufacturers as production tool of record for multiple, advanced planar DRAM and foundry GAA applications. Its value has been validated by these customers with repeat orders and a rapidly growing installed base.
Today's introductions of Akara and the separately announced ALTUS® Halo, the world's first molybdenum atomic layer deposition tool in production, further demonstrate Lam's focus on delivering innovations needed to ensure chipmakers are ready for upcoming semiconductor inflections.
Additional Media Resources
- Visit the Lam Newsroom for related images.
- Read the Lam blog.
- Learn more about Akara.
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 and cost 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 December 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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SOURCE Lam Research Corporation
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