Leading Global Equipment Supplier to Locate Researchers and Cutting-Edge Tools at CNSE's Albany NanoTech to Support Development of Sub-22nm Chip Technologies

ALBANY, N.Y., July 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) at the University at Albany, and Novellus Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVLS), a Silicon Valley-based provider of advanced process equipment for the global nanoelectronics industry, announced today that they have formed a $20 million partnership to conduct next-generation research and development in sub-22nm semiconductor manufacturing technology. As part of the agreement, Novellus will install three advanced thin film deposition tools -- a VECTOR(R) plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition system (PECVD), a SABRE(R) copper electrochemical deposition system, and an ALTUS(R) tungsten chemical vapor deposition (CVD-W) system -- at CNSE's world-class Albany NanoTech Complex.

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A team of Novellus researchers will be located with CNSE staff at Albany NanoTech, where they'll conduct leading-edge research into advanced nanofabrication processes, including copper fill for interconnects, copper through-silicon via fill for three-dimensional packaging applications, tungsten deposition for transistor contacts, and thin dielectric film deposition. The development and commercialization of these technologies is critical to ensure continued progress in the manufacturing of advanced electronic devices, while also enabling improvements in nanoscale fabrication that can be applied to emerging applications in telecommunications, biotechnology, medicine, energy, and the environment, among others.

'Novellus Systems is pleased to engage in this next-generation research and development program in collaboration with the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering,' said Dr. Tom Caulfield, Novellus executive vice president of sales, marketing, and customer satisfaction.