Applied Materials introduces three systems for 2nm GAA chips

Applied Materials introduced three new chipmaking systems intended to improve the energy-efficient performance of leading-edge logic chips and to increase Artificial Intelligence (AI) compute through atomic-scale changes to Gate-All-Around transistors and wiring at angstrom nodes.

The company described the transition to Gate-All-Around transistors as a major industry inflection and a critical enabler of the energy-efficient computing described for more powerful AI chips, and it said the combined impact of the new systems contributed a portion of the total energy-efficient performance gains of GAA process node transitions.

Applied outlined three tools with distinct technical roles: the Viva radical treatment system, which delivers angstrom-level nanosheet surface engineering using a remote plasma source and ultra-pure neutral radicals to avoid ion damage; the Centris Sym3 Z Magnum etch system, which introduced second-generation pulsed voltage technology (PVT2) and new source technology to enable independent ion-angle and ion-energy tuning for precise 3D trench profiles; and the Centris Spectral ALD system, which selectively deposits monocrystalline molybdenum and includes a quad reactor design with precision chemical delivery and multiple plasma and thermal processing modes.

The release said the Viva system was being adopted by chipmakers for advanced channel engineering at 2nm and beyond and that, when combined with the Applied Producer Pyra thermal annealing process, the radical treatment could further reduce the resistance of copper wires. It added that the Sym3 Z platform held tool-of-record status in 2nm logic manufacturing with more than 250 chambers in the field, that Sym3 Z Magnum had applications in DRAM and High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), and that the Spectral system was being adopted by chipmakers at 2nm and below process nodes.

“To keep pace in the angstrom era, Applied is delivering materials engineering breakthroughs that improve energy-efficient compute. Together, these new systems extend Applied’s longstanding leadership in driving major transistor and wiring inflections, while helping customers accelerate their chip roadmaps to keep up with the blistering pace of AI.” said Prabu Raja, President of the Semiconductor Products Group at Applied Materials.

Applied said 2nm-class GAA chips are ramping to volume production this year and the new systems are being used by multiple foundry-logic manufacturers.