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AMAT Makes Breakthrough In NAND Flash Chip Technology

The Centura Avatar system overcomes challenges in etching Terabit devices and is designed to etch the deep, narrow features that are a hallmark of 3D NAND memory arrays

Applied Materials has launched the Applied Centura Avatar dielectric etch system.

This breakthrough system is designed to solve one of the most demanding challenges in creating the 3D memory architectures that deliver the high-density, terabit storage capability required for tomorrow's data-intensive mobile devices.

"With the Avatar system, we've capitalised on our leadership in plasma technology to address the unmet challenges of fabricating three-dimensional memory structures that require the etching of deep features in complex multi-layer material stacks," said Dr. Prabu Raja, vice president and general manager of Applied's Etch business group. "Customers are very enthusiastic about the breakthrough capabilities of this new system. We have already shipped more than 30 chambers to multiple customers for critical applications including the pilot production of future chips."

Newly designed from the ground up, the Avatar system etches the deep, narrow features that are a hallmark of 3D NAND memory arrays. These 3D arrays are an exciting new type of Flash device in which as many as 64 layers of memory cells are built up vertically to create extraordinary bit density in a small area.

The Avatar system can etch holes and trenches in complex film stacks with depth to width aspect ratios of up to 80:1. To illustrate this proportion, the aspect ratio of the Washington Monument is just 10:1. In addition, the system enables the simultaneous and precise etching of features with greatly varying depths - which is critical to fabricating the "staircase" contact structures that connect each layer of memory cells to the outside world.

Conventional planar flash memory technology is approaching critical scaling limitations that are driving the transition to 3D solutions. This creates significant challenges for dielectric etching, especially of high aspect ratio (HAR) features. 

What's more, emerging 3D NAND architecture involves stacks of alternating dielectric layers that intensifies demands placed on the etch system. It must be capable of exacting profile control across the entire wafer for feature aspect ratios up to 80:1, high throughput, and exceptionally high tungsten selectivity for 3D NAND's signature staircase contact.

The Applied Avatar system combines step-to-step temperature tuning and control, which ensures the correct temperature set point and stability for each portion of the etch sequence, with triple-frequency power and multi-zone gas injection to attain aggressive etch depths with benchmark profile control. Customers can manufacture high performance, robust, next-generation devices at high throughput with 97% bottom-to-top CD ratios across the wafer and no sidewall bowing. Also, high-selectivity etch produces negligible loss of the underlying contact material.

These capabilities are essential for the complex 3D NAND staircase contact application. It demands highly sophisticated control of ion energy, wafer temperature, and passivation to achieve the multi-level contact etch in one pass without eroding the tungsten (or future contact material) at the bottom of the shallowest contact holes.


Maintaining adequate mask selectivity and integrity are vital yet highly challenging for HAR etch. For these applications, tuning the very high frequency top source creates higher plasma densities that make possible higher mask etch rates and throughput without jeopardizing profile and selectivity.


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