ASM’S Korean partner receives US$4.5 million grant from Korean government for clean metals R&D (Zr, Hf, Nb, RE)

The Korean Government has awarded US$4.5 million in grants to ASM’s Korean R&D partner Zirconium Technology Corporation (ZironTech) to use to progress its commitment to the Joint Venture (JV) with ASM. The grants were awarded as part of the Korean Government’s US$5 billion Industrial Technological Program, led by the Korean Ministry of Industry, Trade and Resources as it seeks to establish clean metal supply independence and advance material technology for future market demand.

ZironTech has received funding for the development of a low emission, high purity metal refining technology that can be applied to zirconium, titanium, rare earths for permanent magnet alloys. This development is occurring in JV with ASM who has the exclusive rights to the commercialisation of the technology worldwide. The technology is intended to replace conventional energy-intensive metallisation processes with a more environmentally friendly, sustainable and cost-effective alternative.

Australian Strategic Materials Managing Director, David Woodall said: “We are pleased that both ASM and the technology we are developing in partnership with ZironTech has been recognised by the Korean Government as critical in its journey to ensuring sovereign supply for critical materials. The technology to produce critical metals adds value to our project and is key to the growth of Korea’s and Australia’s new technology and manufacturing sectors, with the strong government focus on increasing domestic production to secure supply stability.”

The JV between ASM and ZironTech is finalising the commissioning of its commercial pilot plant facility to produce these high-purity metals in parallel with developing the design for the world’s first commercial scale metal plant. This will help meet the growing demand for a new source into domestic and global markets for ASM’s range of high-purity and value-added critical metals – including zirconium, rare earth magnet metals (praseodymium and neodymium), niobium, and hafnium.

ASM is progressing the development of the Dubbo Project in Central West NSW, an advanced polymetallic project with large in-ground resource of zirconium, rare earth elements (including yttrium), niobium, and hafnium. This polymetallic project represents a strategic and independent supply of critical minerals for a range of sustainable technologies and future industries.

The Dubbo Project is development ready, subject to financing, with the mineral deposit and surrounding land acquired, all major State and Federal approvals in place and extensive piloting and engineering completed.

In March 2020, the Australian Government-owned Export Finance Australia (EFA) confirmed interest in assisting with financing ASM’s Dubbo Project, stating it closely aligns with the recently announced initiative by the Australian Government to develop its “Critical Minerals” sector.
ASM’s investment in downstream processing will improve the economics of its Dubbo Project as well as giving it an involvement in the wider commercialisation of a breakthrough technology.

EURIS announces launch of new Arradiance GEMStar Quantum ALD System in Europe

Euris is proud to announce the launch of the GEMStar Quantum^TM, the latest generation of Atomic Layer Deposition system targeted for demanding applications requiring more precise control. Maintaining Arradiance’s belief of keeping footprint to a minimum, Quantum^TM is a fully capable Plasma assisted ALD system requiring less than 0,6m² of precious lab space.

GEMStar Quantum information: https://www.arradiance.com/gemstar/quantum.html

Leveraging all of the reliability and proven performance of its predecessor, Quantum^TM provides the next level of process control for nanotechnologies.  Let’s briefly hit a few of the highlights of the system that rolls out of the crate, and is ready to go to work for you within a day:

Front/top view

300^oC hot wall dual zone air-cooled reactor

The Door configuration is ideal for Glove Box integrations and accepts all of the XT^TM series Door configurations.  The configuration shown is the rotation particle coating and particle cup option

New and improved Glove Box Interface

300W ICP Plasma Source with 4 MFC controlled inputs and automated safety valves

Onboard RF Auto-Match and plasma controller

Top-Down

On-board gas box supporting dual 200 ^oC manifolds completely separate metal/organics from the oxidizer/reducers until they reach the reactor

Eight material inputs supporting 5 on-board material ports, up to four moveable heater zones and 2 MFC controlled bulk gas inputs all supported by a MFC controlled carrier gas

In addition, one port has the newly released e-Pulse Vapor Push that is now MFC controlled

Right side view turning to the back side

KF40 metrology interfaces

KF50 Exhaust port providing excellent vacuum conductance

EMO and external communication connections

The system is completely air-cooled – no chill water required!

Back to Front/top view

The software and GUI has been completely refreshed to be easier to learn and operated with tons of built in safety features that works seamlessly with the embedded hardware safety capabilities

More information about EURIS and ALD see: https://euris-semiconductor.com/supplier/arradiance/

Get in touch with EURIS: https://euris-semiconductor.com/contact-us/

Intermolecular Announces Breakthrough Four-Element ALD Chalcogenide-based OTS for 3D Memory Arrays

San Jose, Calif., June 16, 2020 – Intermolecular, Inc. (“Intermolecular”), the trusted partner for materials innovation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, today announced the industry’s first quaternary atomic layer deposition (ALD) GeAsSeTe[1] OTS device for 3D vertical memory arrays. This breakthrough combination of materials will enable a 3D vertical NVM memory architecture for customers to design chips for high density, high performance computing applications at affordable costs.

“The Intermolecular team has deep expertise in testing, evaluating and discovering materials and innovating devices to solve leading edge customer problems,” said Casper van Oosten, Managing Director, Intermolecular. “Until now, building non-volatile memory in a high-density 3D architecture has been challenging because of the inability to stack tens of layers in a 3D structure, limiting memory density and consequently increasing the cost. This new material combination allows realization of these architectures, paving the way for neuromorphic computing, AI and other new semiconductor designs that are needed for faster and more affordable digital applications, from gaming to data centers.”

ALD Calcogenide NV-Memories Webinar

Register below for a 15 minute on-demand webinar to see how you can accelerate your materials innovation. In this webinar, Valerio Adinolfi, senior scientist at Intermolecular, Inc., will discuss ALD Chalcogenide for non-volatile memories. The webinar will discuss:

• Why we want to use Chalcogenides for NVMs, presenting the two fundamental elements composing a memory array, OTS selector and face change memories
• Discover why we really want to use ALD opposed to other deposition techniques
• Explore what are the material space of interest and then closely look at the film characterization and what those materials look like
• Evaluate some devices and their performance

About Intermolecular

Intermolecular is a trusted partner for materials innovation and the Silicon Valley science hub of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and its Performance Materials business. Intermolecular explores, tests and develops advanced materials that are revolutionizing the next generation of electronics that make lives easier, entertaining and more productive. For more than 15 years, the team, methodologies and quality data have driven impactful outcomes, market opportunities and innovative product designs for customers.

[1] GeAsSeTe= Germanium, Arsenic, Selenium, Tellurium

Ruhr-Universität Bochum and Carleton University Ottawa discover new promising cobalt molecule for CVD and ALD

[Press release, Uni Bocum, Germany LINK] Searching for small but stable cobalt compounds, a team has discovered a complex that is relevant for material research and exhibits properties that have not been reported for almost 50 years for a compound alike.

A research team from Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) and Carleton University in Ottawa has manufactured a novel, highly versatile cobalt compound. The molecules of the compound are stable, extremely compact and have a low molecular weight so that they can be evaporated for the production of thin films. Accordingly, they are of interest for applications such as battery or accumulator production. Because of their special geometry, the compound also has a very unusual spin configuration of ½. A cobalt compound like that was last described in 1972. The team published their report in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition from 5 May 2020.

A Rare Low‐Spin CoIV Bis(β‐silyldiamide) with High Thermal Stability: Steric Enforcement of a Doublet Configuration. Published under Creative Commons Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., First published: 05 May 2020, DOI: (10.1002/anie.202001518)

The geometry makes the difference

“The few known cobalt(IV) compounds exhibit high thermal instability and are very sensitive towards air and moisture exposure. This impedes their implementation as model systems for broad reactivity studies or as precursors in material synthesis,” explains lead author David Zanders from the Inorganic Materials Chemistry research group in Bochum, headed by Professor Anjana Devi. In his ongoing binational PhD project, which has been agreed upon by Ruhr University and Carleton University by a Cotutelle agreement, David Zanders and his Canadian colleagues Professor Seán Barry and Goran Bačić discovered a cobalt(IV) compound that does not only possess the aforementioned properties but also exhibits an unusually high stability.

Based on theoretical studies, the researchers demonstrated that a nearly orthogonal embedding of the central cobalt atom in a tetrahedrally arranged environment of connected atoms – so-called ligands – is the key to stabilising the compound. This specific geometric arrangement within the molecules of the new compound also enforces the unusual electron spin of the central cobalt atom. “Under these extraordinary circumstances, the spin can only be ½,” points out David Zanders. A cobalt compound with this spin state and similar geometry has not been described for almost 50 years.

Following a series of experiments, the team also showed that the compound has a high volatility and can be evaporated at temperatures of up to 200 degrees Celsius with virtually no decomposition, which is unusual for cobalt(IV).

Promising candidate for ultra-thin layers

Individual molecules of the compound dock onto surfaces in a controllable manner after evaporation. “Thus, the most fundamental requirement of a potential precursor for atomic layer deposition has been fulfilled,” asserts Seán Barry. “This technique has increasingly gained in importance in industrial material and device manufacturing, and our cobalt(IV) compound is the first of its kind that is fit for this purpose.” “Our discovery is even more exciting as the high-valent oxides and sulfides of cobalt are considered to have great potential for modern battery systems or microelectronics,” adds Anjana Devi. Following frequent charging and discharging, electrodes in rechargeable batteries become more and more unstable, which is why researchers are looking for more stable and, consequently, more durable materials for them. At the same time, they also focus on using new manufacturing techniques.

“This binational collaboration, which was initiated by David Zanders, has pooled the creativity and complementary expertise of chemical engineers from Bochum and Ottawa. All this has produced unexpected results and was certainly the key to success,” concludes Anjana Devi.

Original publication

David Zanders, Goran Bačić, Dominique Leckie, Domilola O. Odegbesan, Jeremy Rawson, Jaseon D. Masuda, Anjana Devi, Seàn T. Barry: A rare low‐spin Co(IV) Bis(β‐silyldiamide) with high thermal stability: Steric enforcement of a doublet configuration, in: Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2020, DOI: 10.1002/anie.202001518

ALD in The Netherlands

The Dutch Vacuum Society – or Nederlandse Vacuümvereniging (NEVAC) – publishes the so-called “NEVAC blad”, a magazine that appears three times a year. The issue for June 2020 just appeared and it is a special issue completely devoted to atomic layer deposition (ALD).

Background information at AtomicLimits: LINK

The front cover of the Special Issue on ALD as published by the Dutch Vacuum Society in the so-called “NEVAC blad”. This issue can be downloaded here.

The 2020 TECHCET Critical Materials Report on CVD, ALD and SOD Metal, High-k and Advanced Dielectric Precursors is out!

The 2020 TECHCET Critical Materials Report on CVD, ALD and SOD Metal, High-k and Advanced Dielectric Precursors is now being sent to customers:

• Provides market and technical trend information on organic and inorganic precursors, addressing CVD, ALD applications including high κ metal-oxides, barrier layers, metal interconnects, and capping layers, among others.
• Provides focused information for supply-chain managers, process integration and R&D directors, as well as business development and financial analysts
• Covers information about key suppliers, issues/trends in the material supply chain, estimates on supplier market share, and forecast for the material segments

Web Link: https://techcet.com/shop/

TECHCET Reports can be Included with CMC Associate Membership, and include Quarterly Updates for most CMR, emailed Analyst’s Alerts of breaking news, and phone consultation with the analyst – Click Here for Membership Info!

EFDS ALD for Industry – postponed – new date: December 02 – 03, 2020

4th Workshop and Tutorial
including industrial Exhibition and Tour of Trumpf Hüttinger GmbH & Co. KG
Web: https://www.efds.org/event/ald2020/

PROGRAM [PDF]

REGISTRATION EXHIBITION [PDF]

TOPICS:
♦ Semiconductor ♦ MEMS and Sensors ♦ Display ♦ Lightning ♦ Barriers ♦ Photovoltaics ♦ Battery ♦ Powder Coating ♦ Medical Applications ♦ Decorative Coatings

CONTENT

A topical workshop with focus on industrialization and commercialization of ALD for current and emerging markets

Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is used to deposit ultraconformal thin films with sub-nm film thickness control. The method is unique in the sense that it employs sequential self-limiting surface reactions for growth in the monolayer thickness regime. Today, ALD is a key technology in leading edge semiconductor technology and the field of application in other industries is increasing rapidly. According to market estimates the equipment market alone is currently at an annual revenue of US$ 1.8-1.9 billion (2018) and it is expected to double in the next 4-5 years. In a European context ALD was invented independently twice in Europe (Russia & Finland) and since the last 15 years Germany has grown to become one of the strongest European markets for ALD in R&D, chemicals, equipment and end users.

This year we will organize the 4th Workshop „ALD For Industry“ in South Germany (Freiburg), much closer to the other ALD hubs in continental Europe in France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Switzerland. ALD for Industry provides the opportunity to get in contact with industrial and academic partners, to learn more about fundamentals of ALD technology and to get informed about recent progress in the field. The Event will focus on the current markets for ALD and addresses the applications in Semiconductor industry, MEMS & Sensors, Battery Technology, Medical, Display, Lightning, Barriers and Photovoltaics.

PARTICIPATION
Ticket Tutorial & Workshop – 790 EUR
Ticket Workshop only – 590 EUR
Ticket Tutorial only – 390 EUR
Student Ticket Tutorial & Workshop – 395 EUR
Student Ticket Tutorial only – 180 EUR
Student Ticket Workshop only – 290 EUR
A certificate is necessary! Please send it via E-mail to info@efds.org.

EVENT LOCATION
ETAGE Tagungscenter an der Messe Freiburg
Emmy-Noether-Straße 2
79110 Freiburg
Tel.: +49 761 3881-3515
etage@fwtm.de
www.etage-freiburg.de
direction