AIXTRON recently introduced the Tricent™ MOCVD system for the deposition of ferroelectric materials (e.g. SBT, PZT) and high-k materials for capacitor (BST) and gate (ZrO₂, HfO₂) dielectrics. SBT and PZT are the established materials for ferroelectric nonvolatile memories, especially attractive due to their low voltage and high-speed write. BST is the established dielectric capacitor material in future DRAM devices, allowing a significant reduction of cell capacitor size due to its high-k properties. ZrO₂ and HfO₂ are materials under evaluation for a possible replacement of the current gate dielectric materials.

The Tricent™ system is the most advanced 200/300 mm cluster (bridge) tool, with a maximum capacity of up to four individual Tricent™ MOCVD modules hooked up to the central Brooks Gemini wafer handling platform in a parallel cluster architecture. Alternatively, the sequential cluster architecture allows the integrated processing of the entire capacitor stack.

AIXTRON also introduced the TriJet™ Liquid Precursor Delivery and Evaporation System, modularly integrated into AIXTRON’s Tricent™ MOCVD System. The delivery and evaporation unit, developed by the French company J.I.P.ELEC, shows a stable performance over time, resulting in a highly repeatable film deposition, satisfying the high requirements of full-scale production. J.I.P.ELEC’s technology concept is based on an exclusive license granted to them by the French CNRS research institute, for which AIXTRON acquired an exclusive worldwide license. Contrasting to other commercial systems that were thoroughly evaluated by AIXTRON, the TriJet™ system’s repeatable performance is primarily based on a contactless evaporation of the precursor materials, thus completely avoiding residual material on a hot (evaporating) surface.

Among the various cooperations with universities, governmental and industrial partners within the framework of AIXTRON's ferroelectric/ high-k project, AIXTRON has announced cooperations with the Research Center in Jülich, Germany and with Symetrix in Colorado Springs, USA. Furthermore, AIXTRON is participating in the ESPRIT project HECTOR300 partnering with Infineon, Motorola, Lucent Technologies and many others.

For further information please contact:

Homepage | Contact | About Aixtron | Products & Services | Customer Support | R & D | Production Results | What's new | Events