INTRODUCTION
For more than 30 years, silicon dioxide (SiO2) has been the versatile dielectric "fence" material of choice for the semiconductor device industry. It has provided adequately high-capacitance gate insulation at the front end of the line and sufficiently low-k, crosstalk-free insulation between interconnect wiring levels at the back end. Now, thanks to scaled-down chip components, more densely populated chip real estate, and the introduction of low-resistance interconnect materials like copper, the industrys familiar, reliable SiO2 "fencing" no longer is good enough for either application.
Thus, other materials have been developed with lower dielectric constants for interconnect applications and higher dielectric constants for gate or capacitor applications. However, integrating these materials into the wafer and device has brought many challenges that have delayed their introduction. As devices continue to shrink, even lower- or higher-k materials are needed, posing even more integration challenges.
This report analyzes market segments of the semiconductor industry related to development and integration of dielectric materials into the manufacturing process for microprocessors, dynamic memory, and a range of current and emerging technologies, such as system-on-a-chip and silicon-on-insulator. Sectors covered include device manufacturers as well as materials and equipment providers, with company profiles and discussions of future research, development and engineering.
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