LEUVEN, BELGIUM—Five heavyweight chipmakers have joined with IMEC in an ambitious new program to share the heavy costs of advanced semiconductor research and development. Infineon, Intel, Philips, Samsung, and STMicroelectronics have signed up for the program, launched here by one of Europe's leading microelectronics research centers. The goal is to develop basic processes at the 45-nm technology node and beyond.

PARTNERS TO THE CORE: IMEC hopes to attract three to five additional companies to the 45-nm joint research program. PHOTO COURTESY OF IMEC

Designated "core partners," the five chipmakers will have access to a centralized research platform created by IMEC. The platform is designed to reduce both the costs and the risks for participating firms by giving them the opportunity to collaborate closely on CMOS research projects. Texas Instruments also will participate in several of the programs. IMEC announced the launch at its annual research review meeting, held in mid-October at the center's campus in this historic university town.

The sweeping plan is based on IMEC's expertise in advanced process modules, device physics, and new materials. Among the focus areas are contamination control, advanced lithography, alternative CMOS devices, germanium-based ICs, and new interconnects. Partners also will have the opportunity to explore high-k dielectrics, metal gates, alternative CMOS devices such as silicon-on-insulator ICs and FINFETs, as well as ultra-low-k materials and wafer-level packaging in copper damascene processes.

In making the announcement, Luc Van den Hove, vice president of silicon process and design technology for IMEC, said the idea for the program "dates from mid-2000 and a collaboration with Philips." During a question-and-answer session, Van den Hove said that IMEC could not divulge the cost for the core partners. Gilbert Declerck, the center's president and CEO, interjected, "It's a good deal because of the leveraging effect."

Declerck noted that IMEC also hopes to attract Japanese partners and foundries. "The target is 8 to 10 partners by 2004," the executive said. The local Flemish government has pledged €38 million for the program. Most partners have made a commitment of 3 1/2 years to the program, which is set for a 3–5 year run, Van den Hove said.

The number of partners will determine the speed of development of the 300-mm transition that is a key component of the new program, he added. IMEC is building a 300-mm research facility on the research center's campus. (See accompanying story, "IMEC 300-mm process facility will be cornerstone of new program.")

In addition, the center has signed a strategic alliance agreement with ASML to give the 300-mm research platform a basis in advanced lithographic techniques. In late September, IMEC accepted the industry's first 157-nm step-and-scan system. Made by ASML, the Micrascan VII has a 4X lens reduction ratio and a variable numerical aperture of 0.4 to 0.75, the center says.

Van den Hove emphasized that the goal of the core CMOS research program is not to develop "fully optimized 45-nm technology." Each partner will assign from 10 to 20 employees for the program, he said, adding that the companies "are not obliged to bring in their own IP."

By agreeing to participate, the partners bring an understanding to the collaboration that the industry's transition from 200- to 300-mm wafer processing will mean dramatic increases in research expenses. Tool costs, too, will rise exponentially, Declerck pointed out. The price tags have gotten bigger just as the need for solutions to process problems posed by the industry's roadmap have grown.

Noted Van den Hove: "This is going to be no easy transition. We'll have to introduce new materials for every [device] generation." Declerck emphasized that the solution to the exorbitant cost of research is "consolidation and partnering."

In an update on the overall conditions affecting the semiconductor market, Gartner Dataquest's Jim Tully delved further into the semiconductor industry's future. "We're likely to see far more acquisitions, mergers, industry consolidation, and complicated industry structures," said Tully, vice president of emerging technology and semiconductors and a chief analyst for the market research firm. In addition to "a lot of sharing and pooling of R&D, many IDMs will become fabless, while some IDMs will become system vendors."

The analyst pointed to some positive signs. "Are we really climbing out of this downturn? The answer is 'yes.'" Although "the world economy is moving forward, it's the slowest macroeconomic recovery of the last 60 years." In 2004 and 2005, Gartner Dataquest foresees "a better economy, tightening capacity, revenue growth, and increasing capital expenditures— 'til the next cyclical downturn in 2006–2007."

IMEC 300-mm process facility will be cornerstone of new program Scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2004, IMEC's new 300-mm process facility is the key physical component of the center's recently launched 45-nm research program. The three-level building will measure approximately 54,000 sq ft and house a 6930-sq-ft cleanroom that can be extended to approximately 13,000 sq ft. The facility is being built next to IMEC's existing facility on the center's campus in Leuven, Belgium. Groundbreaking took place in February 2003. Process tools will be enclosed in minienvironments in order to minimize the risks of contamination during the introduction of new materials, IMEC notes. The cleanroom will accommodate an undertrack storage system for FOUP wafer transport. The room will be rated Class 6 according to ISO 14 644-1, with the minienvironments rated up to Class 2. The facility's clean subfab will be used for air recycling and accommodating peripheral cleanroom equipment. GIRDING FOR FUTURE: Walter Fluit, IMEC's vice president for technical support, describes features of the 300-nm process facility under construction. The three-level fab houses a plenum, cleanroom, clean subfab, and utility subfab. M+W Zander is the main contractor for the fab. PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN CONROY The facility will have approximately 10 wastewater collection systems for recycling and neutralizing chemicals, IMEC says. A central utility building will house chilled-water plants, cooling towers, bulk gas systems, and related utilities. IMEC says that the fab will recycle at least 50% of the ultrapure water it uses.

The cellular market will be one of the key drivers for semiconductor sales, while the PC market is slowly returning, Tully said. "Consumer products will lead growth in 2004," he noted, adding that industry growth will continue its shift to the Asia/Pacific region. Worldwide semiconductor revenues will grow in 2003 to $173 billion, an 11.2% increase from $156 billion in 2002.

The predicted upturn will come in the face of a sharp rise in fab costs, Tully pointed out. "The cost per square inch of silicon is decreasing, but fab costs are rising. In the past, if you wanted to play in the leading-edge manufacturing game, you were talking $1 billion per year in fab costs and [now it takes] an additional half-billion, so that's $1.5 billion annually. You've got to be very, very big to play in that business."

Profit-hungry device manufacturers looking beyond the complicated industry structures the analyst predicted earlier should shift to other technologies, he suggested. "If chipmakers want to retain their historical growth rates, they'll have to move into systems, which has its own set of issues."

Tully noted that system-on-chip will drive the IP market. But, he asked, "what happens to Ethernet controllers, graphics, and sound cards when system-on-chip eliminates PCBs?" He suggested that makers of Ethernet controllers for PCBs "would exit the business and go into business as IP vendors."

Summing up, Tully said the industry could expect a rebounding market "fueled by capacity shortages." Digital cellular, PC replacements, and the consumer market are the three big waves that will carry the industry along in 2004. But manufacturing costs will force significant structural changes that programs such as IMEC's hope to address.

Tully concluded his overview with a warning: "One of my messages here is: Expect quite a lot of turbulence." —JC

For more information on the program at IMEC's annual research review meeting, log onto www.arrm.be.

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