ASM International Focuses on Epitaxy to Meet AI Demands

Epitaxy, a Key Technology for Hardware Scaling

The advancement of artificial intelligence creates a growing demand for computing capabilities, data storage, and high-speed, low-energy consumption devices. In response to this trend, ASM positions epitaxy—a process of depositing precise atomic layers—as a crucial factor for the future of semiconductors. The group explains that design and architecture alone are no longer sufficient to address the challenges of technological scaling: discovering new materials and atomic control are becoming essential levers for improvement. Epitaxial films of silicon (Si), silicon germanium (SiGe), and variants (SiGeB, SiP) play a central role in device performance, notably by increasing electron mobility and enabling faster transistor switching at reduced power.

Transition to GAA and Increasing Complexity

The shift towards gate-all-around (GAA) technology represents a significant turning point according to ASM. GAA transistors rely on epitaxial superlattices comprising eight to ten layers of silicon and silicon-germanium, supplemented by new epitaxial contact layers. For 3D-DRAM memories, this complexity significantly intensifies, with superlattices starting around 64 layers and rapidly evolving beyond. This technological escalation demands major advancements in process control. ASM emphasizes that thermal control is one of the critical factors, an area where the group claims innovations in its Intrepid ES and Intrepid ESA tools.

Direct Thermal Control and Atomic-Scale Precision

ASM's Intrepid ES and Intrepid ESA solutions incorporate an isothermal chamber associated with the Turino CL system, a proprietary temperature measurement and feedback device. Unlike approaches that measure the temperature of the susceptor to infer the wafer's temperature, Turino CL uses multiple pyrometers to directly measure the wafer's surface temperature, providing a more effective control loop. This system allows for optimized thickness uniformity control, faster temperature ramps increasing productivity, reduced energy consumption, and especially thickness control to the atomic monolayer—critical advantage for GAA nanosheet applications and the foundation of future complex epitaxial structures. ASM identifies epitaxy as one of its most significant growth areas for at least the next five years, a segment where the group focuses its research and development investments.