News Article
RTP market to change
It has been reported that amid some major changes taking place at the 45-nm node and beyond, Axcelis Technologies Inc. has decided to cease future product development in the rapid thermal processing (RTP) tool arena.
It has been reported that amid some major changes taking place at the 45-nm node and beyond, Axcelis Technologies Inc. has decided to cease future product development in the rapid thermal processing (RTP) tool arena.
The move reportedly impacts Micron Technology Inc. and others, which use RTP tools from Axcelis. Instead, the chip-equipment maker will continue to focus on profitable growth within the company's core ion implant and dry strip businesses.
The move narrows the field in RTP. Applied Materials Inc. and Mattson Technology Inc. are the main players in the traditional RTP market.
But the market is rapidly changing to a new technology for the 45-nm node and beyond. Traditional RTP would continue to be used for some layers at 45-nm and beyond. But in some cases, ''you can't use conventional RTP,'' said Robert MacKnight, president and chief operating officer at Mattson, in a recent interview.
Vendors are developing two separate and rival technologies for the 45-nm node and beyond: flash lamp and laser. DNS, Mattson and others are going after the flash-lamp market. Applied and Ultratech are said to be developing laser tools in the arena. Applied has yet to formally roll out their product.
The winner? "It will be a battle,'' MacKnight said.
Intel, IBM and others are moving towards these types of tools. At 32-nm, Intel reportedly selected a tool technology from Mattson, sources said. Intel originally was supposed to use a laser tool from Ultratech, sources said.
Mattson recently claimed to have won an order at the 32-nm node. The company declined to comment.
For some time, Ultratech has been pushing laser technology. Ultratech's advanced laser spike annealing (LSA) technology enables continued device scaling and eliminates bottlenecks associated with transistor channel engineering, according to the company.
The move reportedly impacts Micron Technology Inc. and others, which use RTP tools from Axcelis. Instead, the chip-equipment maker will continue to focus on profitable growth within the company's core ion implant and dry strip businesses.
The move narrows the field in RTP. Applied Materials Inc. and Mattson Technology Inc. are the main players in the traditional RTP market.
But the market is rapidly changing to a new technology for the 45-nm node and beyond. Traditional RTP would continue to be used for some layers at 45-nm and beyond. But in some cases, ''you can't use conventional RTP,'' said Robert MacKnight, president and chief operating officer at Mattson, in a recent interview.
Vendors are developing two separate and rival technologies for the 45-nm node and beyond: flash lamp and laser. DNS, Mattson and others are going after the flash-lamp market. Applied and Ultratech are said to be developing laser tools in the arena. Applied has yet to formally roll out their product.
The winner? "It will be a battle,'' MacKnight said.
Intel, IBM and others are moving towards these types of tools. At 32-nm, Intel reportedly selected a tool technology from Mattson, sources said. Intel originally was supposed to use a laser tool from Ultratech, sources said.
Mattson recently claimed to have won an order at the 32-nm node. The company declined to comment.
For some time, Ultratech has been pushing laser technology. Ultratech's advanced laser spike annealing (LSA) technology enables continued device scaling and eliminates bottlenecks associated with transistor channel engineering, according to the company.
