Lam Research Ushers in New Era of Semiconductor Metallization with ALTUS® Halo for Molybdenum Atomic Layer Deposition
Lam Research (LRCX) has introduced ALTUS® Halo, the first atomic layer deposition (ALD) tool utilizing molybdenum in advanced semiconductor production. Currently in qualification and ramping with leading chipmakers, this breakthrough technology delivers exceptional feature fill and high-precision deposition of low-resistivity, void-free molybdenum metallization.
The tool provides over 50% improvement in resistance compared to conventional tungsten metallization, eliminating the need for adhesion or barrier layers, thus reducing process steps and improving chip speed. Early adoption has begun at high-volume 3D NAND manufacturers in Korea and Singapore, and advanced logic fabs, with ongoing development for DRAM customers.
ALTUS Halo represents a significant shift from tungsten to molybdenum-based metallization, important for scaling NAND, DRAM, and logic devices for future AI, cloud computing, and smart devices.
Lam Research (LRCX) ha introdotto ALTUS® Halo, il primo strumento di deposizione di strati atomici (ALD) che utilizza molibdeno nella produzione avanzata di semiconduttori. Attualmente in fase di qualificazione e avviamento con i principali produttori di chip, questa tecnologia innovativa offre un riempimento delle caratteristiche eccezionale e una deposizione ad alta precisione di metallizzazione in molibdeno a bassa resistività e senza vuoti.
Lo strumento fornisce oltre un 50% di miglioramento nella resistenza rispetto alla metallizzazione convenzionale in tungsteno, eliminando la necessità di strati di adesione o di barriera, riducendo così i passaggi del processo e migliorando la velocità del chip. L'adozione iniziale è già iniziata presso i produttori di 3D NAND ad alto volume in Corea e Singapore, e nelle fabbriche di logica avanzata, con sviluppo in corso per i clienti DRAM.
ALTUS Halo rappresenta un cambiamento significativo dalla metallizzazione in tungsteno a quella in molibdeno, importante per scalare i dispositivi NAND, DRAM e logici per l'intelligenza artificiale, il cloud computing e i dispositivi smart futuri.
Lam Research (LRCX) ha presentado ALTUS® Halo, la primera herramienta de deposición de capa atómica (ALD) que utiliza molibdeno en la producción avanzada de semiconductores. Actualmente en calificación y ramp-up con los principales fabricantes de chips, esta tecnología innovadora ofrece un llenado excepcional de características y una deposición de alta precisión de metalización de molibdeno de baja resistividad y sin vacíos.
La herramienta proporciona más de un 50% de mejora en la resistencia en comparación con la metalización convencional de tungsteno, eliminando la necesidad de capas de adhesión o barrera, reduciendo así los pasos del proceso y mejorando la velocidad del chip. La adopción temprana ha comenzado en fabricantes de 3D NAND de alto volumen en Corea y Singapur, y fábricas de lógica avanzada, con desarrollo continuo para clientes de DRAM.
ALTUS Halo representa un cambio significativo de la metalización en tungsteno a la basada en molibdeno, importante para escalar dispositivos NAND, DRAM y lógicos para la futura inteligencia artificial, computación en la nube y dispositivos inteligentes.
램 리서치 (LRCX)가 고급 반도체 생산에서 몰리브데넘을 활용한 최초의 원자층 증착(ALD) 도구인 ALTUS® Halo를 소개했습니다. 현재 주요 반도체 제조업체와 함께 자격 검증 및 가속화 중인 이 혁신적인 기술은 뛰어난 특성 충전 및 낮은 저항, 빈 공간 없는 몰리브데넘 금속화의 고정밀 증착을 제공합니다.
이 도구는 기존 텅스텐 금속화와 비교하여 50% 이상의 저항 개선을 제공하며, 접착제나 장벽 층의 필요성을 없애고 공정 단계를 줄이며 칩 속도를 향상시킵니다. 초기 채택은 한국과 싱가포르의 대량 3D NAND 제조업체 및 고급 로직 팹에서 시작되었으며, DRAM 고객을 위한 지속적인 개발이 진행 중입니다.
ALTUS Halo는 텅스텐에서 몰리브데넘 기반 금속화로의 중요한 전환을 나타내며, 이는 미래의 AI, 클라우드 컴퓨팅 및 스마트 장치를 위한 NAND, DRAM 및 로직 장치의 확장에 중요합니다.
Lam Research (LRCX) a lancé ALTUS® Halo, le premier outil de dépôt de couches atomiques (ALD) utilisant du molybdène dans la production avancée de semi-conducteurs. Actuellement en qualification et en montée en charge avec des fabricants de puces de premier plan, cette technologie révolutionnaire offre un remplissage exceptionnel des caractéristiques et un dépôt haute précision de métallisation en molybdène à faible résistivité et sans vide.
L'outil offre plus de 50% d'amélioration de la résistance par rapport à la métallisation conventionnelle au tungstène, éliminant ainsi le besoin de couches d'adhésion ou de barrière, réduisant ainsi les étapes du processus et améliorant la vitesse des puces. L'adoption précoce a commencé chez des fabricants de 3D NAND à haut volume en Corée et à Singapour, ainsi que dans des usines de logique avancée, avec un développement en cours pour les clients DRAM.
ALTUS Halo représente un changement significatif de la métallisation au tungstène vers celle basée sur le molybdène, ce qui est important pour l'extension des dispositifs NAND, DRAM et logiques pour l'intelligence artificielle, le cloud computing et les appareils intelligents futurs.
Lam Research (LRCX) hat ALTUS® Halo eingeführt, das erste Werkzeug für die atomare Schichtabscheidung (ALD), das Molybdän in der fortgeschrittenen Halbleiterproduktion nutzt. Aktuell befindet sich die Technologie in der Qualifizierung und wird mit führenden Chip-Herstellern hochgefahren. Diese bahnbrechende Technologie bietet außergewöhnliches Feature-Filling und eine hochpräzise Abscheidung von niederohmigem, void-freiem Molybdän-Metallisieren.
Das Werkzeug bietet über 50% Verbesserung der Widerstand im Vergleich zur herkömmlichen Wolfram-Metallisierung, wodurch die Notwendigkeit von Haft- oder Barriereschichten entfällt, was die Prozessschritte reduziert und die Chipgeschwindigkeit verbessert. Die frühe Einführung hat bei hochvolumigen 3D NAND-Herstellern in Korea und Singapur sowie in fortgeschrittenen Logik-Fabs begonnen, mit laufender Entwicklung für DRAM-Kunden.
ALTUS Halo stellt einen signifikanten Wechsel von Wolfram- zu Molybdän-basierten Metallisierungen dar, was für das Skalieren von NAND-, DRAM- und Logikgeräten für zukünftige KI-, Cloud-Computing- und Smart-Geräte wichtig ist.
- First-to-market advantage in molybdenum-based semiconductor metallization
- 50% improvement in resistance over conventional tungsten metallization
- Reduced manufacturing process steps by eliminating adhesion/barrier layers
- Early adoption by leading manufacturers in Korea and Singapore
- Enables scaling for 1,000-layer 3D NAND and advanced logic chips
- None.
Insights
The launch of ALTUS® Halo marks a watershed moment in semiconductor manufacturing technology, representing the first major metallization breakthrough in over two decades. This innovation addresses critical scaling challenges in an industry pushing against the boundaries of Moore's Law.
The technology's value proposition is compelling on multiple fronts:
- The 50% improvement in resistance over tungsten metallization directly translates to faster chip speeds and improved power efficiency
- Elimination of barrier layers reduces manufacturing complexity and costs
- Enhanced capability for scaling to 1,000-layer 3D NAND and advanced logic nodes opens new revenue streams
Early adoption by leading manufacturers in Korea and Singapore, particularly Micron's implementation in high-volume production, validates the technology's commercial viability. This strategic positioning in both memory and logic segments strengthens Lam Research's competitive moat in the critical semiconductor equipment market.
The timing of this release is particularly significant as the industry faces increasing demands from AI and cloud computing applications. By enabling the production of more advanced memory and logic chips, ALTUS Halo positions Lam Research to capitalize on the growing need for higher-performance semiconductors in data centers and edge computing applications.
The technology's ability to support 4F2 DRAM and gate-all-around logic architectures suggests strong potential for long-term revenue growth as these advanced nodes become mainstream. Moreover, the reduced process steps and improved efficiency could lead to better margins for both Lam Research and its customers.
ALTUS Halo is the newest addition to Lam's ALTUS product family and is part of a differentiated product portfolio that enables chipmakers to overcome some of the industry's hardest scaling challenges. It joins Akara®, the most advanced conductor etcher available, which was announced separately today by Lam Research.
ALTUS Halo Harnesses the Potential of Molybdenum
As the performance demands of next-generation applications increase, so does the need for more advanced semiconductors and new manufacturing processes to create them. The atom-by-atom deposition of metal is essential in the manufacturing of all leading-edge chips today. Tungsten-based ALD, first pioneered by Lam, has been the predominant metallization technique for deposition and void-free fill of contacts and lines for over two decades. However, to scale NAND, DRAM and logic devices for the future, chipmakers will need to shift metallization beyond what is currently possible with tungsten integration. With ALTUS Halo, Lam is taking a leadership role in the semiconductor industry's transition from tungsten to molybdenum.
"Building on Lam's deep metallization expertise, ALTUS Halo is the most significant breakthrough in atomic layer deposition in over 20 years," said Sesha Varadarajan, senior vice president and general manager of the Global Products Group at Lam Research. "It brings together Lam's quad station module architecture and new advancements in ALD technology to provide engineered, low-resistivity molybdenum deposition for high-volume manufacturing — a critical requirement for emerging and future chip inflections, including 1,000-layer 3D NAND, 4F2 DRAM and advanced gate-all-around logic."
Molybdenum Enables Low-Resistance Metallization Required for Next-Generation Chips
For semiconductors to operate, fast electrical signals travel through connections, such as 3D NAND wordlines, to send commands. Nanoscale features are etched and, when copper cannot be used, they are traditionally filled with tungsten to create the essential connections. The lower the metal resistivity, the faster the signal speeds. Additionally, in conventional tungsten-based wiring, extra barrier layers are added to prevent unwanted electrical interactions. As NAND, DRAM and logic scale to more complex architectures including 3D integration, electrical signals must travel through more restrictive connections. This increases the potential for bottlenecks and slower speeds, and the possibility of electrical shorts in some instances.
Molybdenum is an ideal metal for these and future applications because it has lower resistivity in nano-scale wires than tungsten and doesn't need an adhesion or barrier layer, thereby reducing the number of process steps, boosting efficiency and helping improve chip speed. Building on decades of expertise in metallization and advanced development, and through new innovations in deposition technology, Lam has made the ALD of molybdenum viable for mass production for the first time. In most instances ALTUS Halo provides better than
ALTUS Halo is in Volume Production
ALTUS Halo delivers the most precise and advanced deposition of molybdenum in the semiconductor industry. The ALTUS Halo tool series is optimized for a range of metallization needs, with the ability to deposit conformally or selectively with bottom-up feature fill using chemistry and thermal flexibility, as well as plasma for temperature-sensitive applications.
Early adoption has begun at leading high-volume 3D NAND manufacturers with fabs in
"The integration of molybdenum metallization enables Micron to be first to market with industry-leading I/O bandwidth and storage capacity in the latest generation of NAND products," said Mark Kiehlbauch, corporate vice president of NAND development at Micron. "Lam's ALTUS Halo tool has made it possible for Micron to bring molybdenum into mass production."
Media Resources
- Visit the Lam Newsroom for related images.
- Read the Lam blog.
- Learn more about ALTUS Halo.
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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FAQ
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