Abstract:
Three-dimensional memory scaling is now a market reality, with products entering many segments of the mainstream memory marketplace. Three-dimensional process technology offers the entire memory ecosystem a clear path to better value for customers as well as a massive TAM opportunity for memory developers. The amount of processing required for greater densities at lower costs, however, forces an aggressive increase in the process complexity and processing steps, which has created a massive challenge to semiconductor fab manufacturing productivity. This complexity manifests itself in three fundamental and significant ways:
- Vastly increased processing steps
- A large volume of fundamentally new process equipment
- Significant quantities of new materials and chemistries
These three challenges are the core hurdles on our path to maximize economic value. The amount of capitalization required to transition current manufacturing to new technologies is unprecedented for memory manufacturing. Historically, as new equipment and materials have been required to progress technology shrinks, equipment productivity improvements have been able counterbalance process complexity. However, with new generations of memory, the equipment productivity and simplification improvements no longer hold the manufacturing efficiency impact neutral.
The net result is much higher risk levels in manufacturing ramps and lower productivity per square foot of cleanroom space. Also impacted is the manufacturing cycle time, which has a direct correlation to the time required to achieve the yields and quality required for profitable volume production. To truly enjoy the benefits of the scaling provided by three-dimensional technologies, we need truly innovative manufacturing solutions. Faster rates of innovation and higher levels of partnership, across the supply chain, are imperative to ensure customers get the performance per dollar and the memory ecosystem enjoys the TAM potential.