Applied Materials, Inc. and CEA-Leti have announced an expansion of their long-standing collaboration to focus on developing specialized materials engineering solutions for various semiconductor applications. The joint lab, representing CEA-Leti’s highest level of collaboration, is aimed at accelerating device innovations for Applied’s customers in the ICAPS markets - including IoT, communications, automotive, power, and sensors. The technology applications in these fields encompass photonics, image sensors, RF communications components, power devices, and heterogeneous integration.
The demand for ICAPS applications and devices is being driven by industrial automation, IoT, electric vehicles, green energy, and smart grid infrastructure. Projects at the joint lab will center on developing solutions for a range of materials engineering challenges to enable the next wave of ICAPS device innovation. The lab features several of Applied Materials’ 200mm and 300mm wafer processing systems and utilizes CEA-Leti’s capabilities for evaluating new materials' performance and device validation. The joint team aims to achieve improvements in power consumption, performance, area/cost, and faster time to market (PPACt™).
Aninda Moitra, corporate vice president and general manager of Applied Materials’ ICAPS business, expressed that the joint endeavor aims to accelerate innovation and advance the roadmaps of various specialty semiconductor technologies. Sébastian Dauvé, CEO of CEA-Leti, noted that the joint lab is based at CEA-Leti and will host Applied Materials scientists and utilize some of its latest-generation equipment. Dauvé emphasized that the collaboration aims to develop differentiated technological solutions for Applied’s customers and overcome current technical hurdles in support of CEA-Leti’s internal R&D programs.
