As artificial intelligence (AI) pervades society, the demand for devices with sufficient computing power to drive AI applications is rising. Materion supports this growth by supplying atomic layer deposition (ALD) and tantalum materials used to manufacture the advanced logic and memory chips vital to AI infrastructure.
Materion offers products used in thin film deposition, a process by which very thin coatings of material only a few atoms thick are placed onto the substrate surfaces from which AI chips are made. Our materials greatly impact the performance of these chips, influencing everything from their electrical conductivity and hardness to their ability to resist fatigue and corrosion.
There are two types of thin film deposition in which Materion materials play key roles: chemical and physical. ALD is an example of chemical deposition, in which films are deposited via a chemical reaction between the hot substrate and inert gases in a low-pressure chamber. Tantalum, on the other hand, is applied through physical deposition, in which materials are physically placed on the substrate surface through a process called sputtering.
Here's an overview of how each works:
ALD is more precise than physical vapor deposition (PVD) as it allows chip manufacturers to deposit materials and films in exact locations. The process can be time consuming, but the ability to control the thickness of deposited layers is invaluable as transistors shrink and 3D chip structures become more complex.
Materion is a leading supplier of inorganic chemicals used in ALD, with expertise in handling, synthesizing, and customizing complex materials. Our range of capabilities allows us to develop custom compositions that meet exacting specifications required by leading manufacturers. These include:
Materion customers have a high profile in this market. They have overwhelming market share in server hardware design for AI cloud applications, logic integrated circuits, and high bandwidth memory, playing vital roles in the semiconductor AI value chain. In addition, Materion’s ALD solutions address significant technical challenges faced in fabricating logic and memory chips.
Our aluminum chloride precursor material, for example, is being used by 3D NAND memory manufacturers. It’s safer to handle than alternative materials, and because it lacks a carbon chain, it’s better suited for small nodes (<10nm).
Similarly, Materion’s hafnium chloride is used in logic applications in part for its zirconium content, making it desirable for high-k dielectrics (materials employed in semiconductor manufacturing that improve transistor performance and enable miniaturization).
Materion is also developing molybdenum dichloride dioxide, which has significant potential to contribute to AI devices thanks largely to its relative lack of fluorine, its suitability for use in chips with fewer than 300 layer stacks, and its resistivity.
Tantalum’s role in AI chips is primarily to serve as a diffusion barrier in copper metallization.
Copper atoms from these chips sometimes migrate into surrounding silicon or dielectric materials at high temperatures, leading to reduced performance and potential device failure. Tantalum acts as a barrier to prevent this from happening, as well as promoting strong adhesion between copper and the chip’s dielectric layers. This ensures overall structural integrity and higher performance and reliability.
Further benefits of tantalum-based films in AI chips include thermal stability, high conductivity and excellent corrosion resistance, making tantalum ideal for these applications.
Currently, the demand for AI-related tantalum is relatively low, though there is exceptional growth potential given the needs of leading-edge process nodes as AI proliferates.
Through many years of experience, Materion has mastered the texture control so important to manufacturing high-quality tantalum discs and sputtering targets. These products display uniform metallurgical properties, ensuring optimal sputtering performance for end-users, including logic and memory semiconductor chip manufacturers.
Click here to learn more about Materion’s wide-ranging portfolio of thin film deposition materials.