Applied rolls out etch tool for CD control

The Centura AdvantEdge system is said to deliver 2-mm edge exclusion with sub-3-nm CD control across 300-mm wafers. The tool cuts performance-defining transistor gate CD variation by up to 50 percent, according to Applied (Santa Clara, Calif.).

The system provides a comprehensive set of solutions for silicon etch applications, including gate and shallow trench isolation, with demonstrated extendibility for 45- and 32-nm high-k and metal gate structures, according to the company.

The AdvantEdge system's high-temperature cathode option also enables future pattern transfer applications for storage elements and transistors incorporating emerging high-k dielectrics.