Chip fault detection technology developed in Israel will enable rapid mass production of 22 nm chips

The Aera3 system that Applied Materials is launching today around the world was developed and manufactured in Israel

The world's largest manufacturer of equipment for the semiconductor industry, Applied Materials, announced today the launch of a new generation of quality control technology for lithography masks that enables the production of 22 nm chips. The Aera3 system was developed and manufactured in Israel and demonstrates once again the contribution of Applied Materials Israel to the production of all the new electronic products in the world - including iPad, iPhone4, xBox and Playstation game consoles.

Lithographic masks are used by chip manufacturers as molds to print the silicon wafers in layers, where one mask is used to print hundreds of chips. Detecting defects in the masks is very important, since failure to detect them directly damages the chips themselves during printing. Applied Materials Israel entered the quality control market for lithographic masks in 2008. The financial scope of this market was then estimated by Gartner Dataquest to be 350 million dollars.

Ronan Benzion, Vice President of Applied Materials Worldwide and CEO of Applied Materials Israel: "The technological breakthrough of Aera3 is the result of close cooperation with our customers. The system handles all quality control applications for the next generation of masks, and is an essential tool for rapid mass production of chips. The previous generation of the system revolutionized the global market of quality control for masks. The new Aera3 system has already been ordered by leading manufacturers of masks and chips and in our estimation this is a positive sign of things to come and a sign of our ability to succeed in this strategic market."

The technology at the base of Aera3 enables laser scanning under optical conditions simulating those existing in the lithography machine for printing the chips (Scanner). The technology produces an 'aerial image' (Aerial Imaging) that simulates what the silicon wafer 'sees' through the mask. Using it, the system accurately predicts which defects will be printed on the silicon wafer and will affect the operation of the chip and filters out a large amount of defects that will ultimately not affect its operation at all. This ability is critical in the new generation of chips - 22 nm and below - where existing technologies are unable to face the technological challenge and reach the required level of accuracy and reliable predictive ability.

Also, the Aera3 provides a unique ability to scan EUV masks. These masks constitute the next generation of the world of lithography which will allow the chip manufacturers to produce with a technology below 20 nanometers. The EUV technology is in development processes at the world's leading manufacturers and the Aera3 machine is a critical pillar for their success.

Applied Materials Global is the world's largest manufacturer of equipment for the semiconductor industry and for the production of flat screens, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of production lines for producing solar energy.