Producer^® XP Precision^® CVD

The Producer XP Precision CVD system extends and builds upon Applied Materials’ groundbreaking Twin Chamber design. Re-imagined architectural elements result in a design that optimizes the chamber environment and the interplay of process parameters, enabling it to deliver to the exacting uniformity precision required to enable the transition from planar to 3D structures.

This transition shifts critical dimension (CD) control challenges from lithography to deposition. In planar devices, the requirement for CD control is measured in the horizontal plane, thereby requiring lithographic precision. With the adoption of 3D structures, the critical dimensions are now in the vertical plane, shifting the stringent requirements to deposition, where the deposition uniformity in alternating layers of differing materials is of the utmost importance because of the cumulative impact of propagating non-uniformity.

The Precision system has also enabled a new class of hard mask films, such as Saphira™ APF, whose high selectivity, low stress, and greater transparency make them ideal for emerging high aspect ratio and densely patterned features. These films can withstand the long etch processes required for fabricating next-generation 3D NAND, in which the number of layers is expected to continue to grow, and the high aspect ratio features of advanced DRAM.

Designed for high-productivity manufacturing, the modular Producer XP Precision system combines production-proven Producer mainframe architecture and high-speed system protocol with faster, more efficient, Precision chamber processing technology to deliver superior throughput density.