New US$500m R&D programme in Albany, US to accelerate next generation chip technology

SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) and Globalfoundries have established an Advanced Patterning and Productivity Centre (APPC), to be located at the Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) in Albany, NY, US.

The US$500m, five-year programme will accelerate the introduction of Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography technologies into manufacturing. The centre is anchored by a network of international chipmakers and material and equipment suppliers, including IBM and Tokyo Electron, and will generate 100 jobs.

'This advanced new partnership between SUNY Poly and Globalfoundries demonstrates how Governor Cuomo's strategic investments in SUNY are bolstering the system's research capacity, leveraging private dollars, and creating exciting new opportunities at our campuses for students and faculty,' said SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher.

'In partnership with Globalfoundries, IBM and Tokyo Electron, we will leverage our combined expertise and technological capabilities to meet the critical needs of the industry and advance the introduction of this complex technology.'

The new centre will improve our capabilities and position us to advance our process geometries at 7nm and beyond

Gary Patton, CTO and Senior Vice President of R&D at Globalfoundries, added: 'Globalfoundries is committed to an aggressive research roadmap that continually pushes the limits of semiconductor technology. With the recent acquisition of IBM Microelectronics, GlobalFoundries has gained direct access to IBM’s continued investment in world-class semiconductor research and has significantly enhanced its ability to develop leading-edge technologies.

'Together with SUNY Poly, the new centre will improve our capabilities and position us to advance our process geometries at 7nm and beyond.'

EUV lithography is a next-generation semiconductor manufacturing technique that produces short wavelengths (14nm and below) of light to create minuscule patterns on integrated circuits. The technology is critical to achieve the cost, performance, and power improvements needed to meet the industry’s anticipated demands in cloud computing, Big Data, mobile devices, and other emerging technologies.

The APPC will tackle the challenges associated with commercialising EUV lithography technology. A key component of the centre will be the installation of the ASML NXE:3300 EUV scanner, a tool for the development and manufacturing of semiconductor process technologies at 7nm and beyond. This installation follows that of the IBM supported ASML NXE:3300B EUV scanner already in place at SUNY Poly.

Through the APPC, members will have access to a patterning infrastructure, which includes state-of-the-art film deposition and etch capability, patterning systems, EUV mask infrastructure, and EUV imaging capabilities.