Applied Materials, CEA-Leti announce joint lab for specialty chip markets

Applied Materials and CEA-Leti announced an expansion of their longstanding collaboration to focus on developing differentiated materials engineering solutions for several specialty semiconductor applications. The joint lab, which represents CEA-Leti’s highest level of collaboration, aims to accelerate device innovations for Applied’s customers serving ICAPS markets. Technology applications in those fields include photonics, image sensors, RF communications components, power devices and heterogeneous integration. Demand for ICAPS applications and devices is being driven by industrial automation, the Internet of Things, electric vehicles, green energy and smart grid infrastructure, among other major high-growth markets. Projects at the joint lab will focus on developing solutions for a variety of materials engineering challenges to enable the next wave of ICAPS device innovation. “For the past 10 years, Applied Materials and CEA-Leti have collaborated through multiple, specific joint development programs, which have set the stage for establishing our new joint lab,” said Sebastian Dauve, the institute’s CEO. “Past projects included work in domains such as advanced metrology, materials for memory applications and optical devices, bonding techniques, materials deposition and film growth and chemical-mechanical planarization. Our results brought high value to both partners and to customers around the world, and we look forward to expanding our engagement with this new lab.”