GRENOBLE, France: Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL), and CEA Leti (Laboratory of electronics and information technologies) have signed a joint development research program for new FEOL (Front End of Line) CMOS process technology.

The development is devoted to the new materials necessary to achieve the CMOS gate stack challenges. This will include both high-k material and metal gate films, as well as their associated process steps, needed for 45 nm and below technological nodes of the ITRS.

This new partnership is based out of CEA Leti's new 300 mm facility in Grenoble, France, Nanotec300. It was inaugurated on April 22, 2004, and shortly afterwards, Nanotec300 signed several collaborative contracts. Among them is a four-year contract with the three partners of Alliance (Freescale Semiconductor, Philips, and STMicroelectronics).

In this project, TEL will provide leading-edge technologies with its TELFORMULA™ flexible batch thermal processing system and single-wafer Trias™ system in order to provide the materials for advanced CMOS gate stack. The batch system is an economic, reliable tool for the deposition of high-k dielectrics. The single-wafer tool will integrate a proprietary metal chamber based on the reliable Trias technology. Another chamber will be devoted to the surface treatment of these materials. In addition to the basic development of these materials, the JDP will address pre- and post-processes leading to providing the whole CMOS gate stack module.

To address the challenges in both dielectric and metals, aggressive milestones in terms of electrical and integration performances will be reached in 2004 and 2005.

"TEL is very pleased with this opportunity to participate in CEA Leti 300mm research facility. By participating in this Center, we will partner with an R&D center with a proven track record of advanced development. This will significantly enhance our

internal development efforts. This exemplifies our commitment to global research partnerships. Development will occur on the production proven Trias and TELFORMULA platform. We expect to advance quickly to an integrated customer solution for Advanced "high-k / Metal Gate Stack" said Peter Horii, Vice President BU Operations & Sales, Tokyo Electron Europe Limited.

Olivier Demolliens, Manager of the Nanotec300 department at CEA Leti says: "Partnership with a leading company such as TEL in a very rapid advancing domain illustrates the high potential of expertise that will bring CEA Leti to ICs makers. Thanks to this collaboration, CEA Leti will be in position to propose new 300 mm cutting edge module integration technology to its collaborative partners."

About CEA Leti

CEA Leti (Grenoble, France) is a at the leading edge of European microelectronics and microtechnologies research. It employs about 900 people and with its more than 150 patents filed per year and its 28 start-ups created or being created, it ranks among the major partners of the industrial world. Instigator of the MINATEC micro and nanotechnologies innovation centre project, the CEA Grenoble is also one of its main partners.

The CEA plays a major role in research, development and innovation in three main fields: energy, information and healthcare technologies, and defence. Its ability to combine fundamental research and valorization in an industrial framework enables it to play a leading role in innovation. Some 15,000 people are employed at CEA in 9 sites in France. www.cea.fr