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PETALUMA,
Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 14, 2004--Tegal Corporation
(Nasdaq:TGAL) today announced that it has been granted
United States Patent, No. 6,783,638 for the Flat Magnetron
sputter source. The invention provides for the use
of a greater percentage of the material from the sputter
target than in existing conventional physical vapor
deposition ("PVD") systems. Direct benefits
of the novel design include lowering material cost,
enhancing sputtering rate, and increasing deposition
system availability. System uptime and availability
is a key variable in semiconductor chip manufacturers'
actual cost of system ownership.
Conventional PVD systems utilize
about 35-45% of the target material before they must
be replaced. The new Flat Magnetron's magnetic design
and the physical placement of the sputter cathode
in the magnetic field enables a significant improvement
in material utilization. Initial test results of the
Flat Magnetron show up to 65% target utilization.
Tegal engineers believe this efficiency can be extended
further. Such improved target utilization is especially
important in the deposition of costly metals such
as gold, ruthenium and platinum whose use is prevalent
in MEMS and other nanotechnology devices. The new
Flat Magnetron design allows higher levels of metal
reclamation, further contributing to more efficient
capital utilization.
The first Flat Magnetrons
are in daily use at the Nanofabrication Center of
the University of California at Santa Barbara, where
they are installed in a Sputtered Films Endeavor AT
PVD cluster system. These Flat Magnetrons are used
to deposit AlN, SiN, TiN, and a variety of pure metal
films by researchers working on advanced nanofabrication
issues.
The Flat Magnetron
was the final invention of Peter Clarke, founder of
Sputtered Films, prior to his passing in 2002. "My
father referred to the Flat Magnetron as his 'parting
shot' in an industry in which he was known for finding
very creative, and often simple, solutions for difficult
problems. We're very pleased to add the Flat Magnetron
to Tegal's growing list of advanced PVD technology
offerings," said Carole Anne Demachkie, General
Manager of Tegal's Sputtered Films Product Group.
About Tegal
Tegal provides process
and equipment solutions to leading edge suppliers
of advanced semiconductor and nanotechnology devices.
Incorporating unique, patented etch and deposition
technologies, Tegal's system solutions are backed
by over 35 years of advanced development and over
100 patents. Some examples of devices enabled by Tegal
technology are energy efficient memories found in
portable computers, cell phones, PDAs and RFID applications;
megapixel imaging chips used in digital and cellphone
cameras; power amplifiers for portable handsets and
wireless networking gear; and MEMS devices like accelerometers
for automotive airbags, microfluidic control devices
for ink jet printers; and laboratory-on-a-chip medical
test kits.
More information is
available on the Internet at: www.tegal.com.
Contacts
Sputtered Films Product Group (For Tegal)
Carole Anne Demachkie, 805-963-9651 ext. 3110
cdemachkie@tegal.com
or
Loomis Group, Inc.
Vincent Mayeda, 909-614-1767
mayedav@loomisgroup.com
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