BILTHOVEN, The Netherlands, Oct. 22, 2001 (PRIMEZONE) -- ASM International N.V. (Nasdaq:ASMI) (Euronext Stock Exchange in Amsterdam:ASM) today announced that its subsidiaries ("ASM") have entered into an exclusive and strategic technology and marketing agreement with Genitech(r), Inc., a privately owned semiconductor equipment company in Korea. ASM is a leading supplier of semiconductor wafer processing and chip packaging equipment, and specifically of Atomic Layer CVD(tm) (ALCVD(tm)) equipment. Genitech is a supplier of Plasma Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition equipment in the Korean market, and has developed a catalytic enhanced Metal Organic CVD process for copper, called Superfill CVD(tm).
ALCVD(tm) technology, which produces layers with atomic control of flatness and composition, will enable the manufacture of next generation, sub-100 nm, transistors. Plasma Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition is a process where the conventional ALCVD process can be enhanced with the presence of so-called radicals, more energetic chemical states of atoms and molecules created by the plasma. This enables the production of exceptionally high quality and extremely thin films, and at lower temperatures and from a larger variety of chemical precursors than is possible without plasma. These films can be used both for barrier films in copper metallization, and for certain dielectric films.
Conventional copper processes have difficulty in growing sufficient material inside deep features on a semiconductor wafer. The Superfill CVD(tm) process outperforms conventional processes in that it preferentially deposits materials inside small features. The Superfill CVD films can be particularly attractive as a so-called seed layer for the copper electroplating process.
"We are very proud to announce this partnership and this important addition to our portfolio of Back End of Line (BEOL) wafer processing products, such as the Aurora(tm) low-k interconnect materials and the Eagle(r) Plasma Enhanced CVD equipment," said Arthur del Prado, president and CEO of ASM International, N.V. "With this partnership ASM will now timely introduce third generation copper metallization tools for sub-100 nm technologies, and will also accelerate the application of ALCVD and Plasma Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition products in all markets."
"At Genitech we are very excited about the new opportunities this partnership gives us in the further commercialization and application of our patented technologies," remarked Kyoung Soo Yi, president and CEO of Genitech.
With these breakthrough technologies we believe we will be able to push out the ITRS (International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors) red brick wall by at least two more device generations.
About Genitech(r)
Genitech is an innovative, dynamic, and privately held company, located in Korea, in the business of developing and manufacturing semiconductor processing equipment. Genitech has been developing next generation processing equipment for thin film deposition, copper metallization and CMP. Currently, Genitech has developed thin film deposition tools for PEALD(tm) (Plasma Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition) of dielectric or metallic films, and for Superfill CVD(tm) of copper films for next generation metallization and interconnections. Genitech believes that these new technologies will find widespread application in a broad range of electronics applications. Genitech was formed in 1996 as a spin-off company from ETRI (Electronic Technology Research Institute), a Korean government-funded research organization. For more information, please visit Genitech's Website at http://www.genitech.co.kr.
About ASM
ASM International N.V. is headquartered in Bilthoven, The Netherlands. ASM International is a global company, serving one of the most important and demanding industries in the world. The Company possesses a strong technological base, state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, a competent and qualified workforce and a highly trained, strategically distributed support network. ASM International's subsidiaries design and manufacture equipment and materials used to produce semiconductor devices. ASM International's subsidiaries provide production solutions for wafer processing, assembly and packaging through their facilities in the United States, Europe, Japan and Asia. ASM International's common stock shares trade on Nasdaq (symbol ASMI) and the Euronext Stock Exchange in Amsterdam (symbol ASM). For more information, visit ASM's Website at http://www.asm.com.
Safe Harbor Statement under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: All matters discussed in this statement, except for any historical data, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to economic conditions in the semiconductor industry, currency fluctuations, the timing of significant orders, market acceptance of new products, competitive factors, risk factors related to litigation and other risks indicated in filings from time to time with the SEC and Stock Exchange Authorities.