SUNY Polytechnic Institute and GlobalFoundries announced plans to establish a new Advanced Patterning and Productivity Center (APPC), which will be located at the Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) in Albany.
The $500 million, five-year program will accelerate the introduction of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography technologies into manufacturing. Officials said the center is anchored by a network of international chipmakers and material and equipment suppliers, including IBM and Tokyo Electron, and will generate 100 jobs.
“This advanced new partnership between SUNY Poly and GlobalFoundries demonstrates how Governor Cuomo’s strategic investments in SUNY are bolstering the system’s research capacity, leveraging private dollars, and creating exciting new opportunities at our campuses for students and faculty,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher.
“SUNY Poly’s nanotechnology expertise coupled with the governor’s innovative public-private partnership model has positioned New York as a global leader in computer chip research, development, and manufacturing.”
Dr. Alain Kaloyeros, president and CEO of SUNY Polytechnic Institute, said in partnership with GlobalFoundries, IBM and Tokyo Electron, "we will leverage our combined expertise and technological capabilities to meet the critical needs of the industry and advance the introduction of this complex technology."
"GlobalFoundries is committed to an aggressive research road map that continually pushes the limits of semiconductor technology," said Dr. Gary Patton, CTO and senior vice president of R&D at said Dr. Gary Patton, CTO and Senior Vice President of R&D at GlobalFoundries. With the recent acquisition of IBM Microelectronics, GlobalFoundries has gained direct access to IBM's continued investment in world-class semiconductor research and has significantly enhanced its ability to develop leading-edge technologies."
EUV lithography is a next-generation semiconductor manufacturing technique that produces short wavelengths (14-nanometers and below) of light to create minuscule patterns on integrated circuits. The technology is critical to achieve the cost, performance, and power improvements needed to meet the industry's anticipated demands in cloud computing, Big Data, mobile devices, and other emerging technologies.
The APPC will tackle the challenges associated with commercializing EUV lithography technology. A key component of the center will be the installation of the ASML NXE:3300 EUV scanner, a state-of-the-art tool for the development and manufacturing of semiconductor process technologies at 7nm and beyond. This installation follows the installation of the IBM supported ASML NXE:3300B EUV scanner already in place at SUNY Poly.
Officials said the center aims to bring mask and materials suppliers together to extend the capabilities of EUV lithography through exploring fundamental aspects of the patterning process. Other projects will be focused on enhancing productivity, in preparation for implementing EUV lithography in the GlobalFoundries' production facility in Malta.
Through the APPC, members will have access to SUNY Poly's patterning infrastructure, which includes state-of-the-art film deposition and etch capability, leading-edge patterning systems, EUV mask infrastructure, and world-class EUV imaging capabilities, officials said.