EANS-News: SEMATECH and centrotherm Partner to Develop Low Temperature Processes for Future CMOS and Memory Devices

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Company Information

Subtitle: • Joint effort to extend the technology roadmap for
enabling process technologies • Partnership is part of
centrotherm’s strategy to expand the semiconductor segment

Blaubeuren (euro adhoc) - April 10, 2012 - SEMATECH today announced
that centrotherm thermal solutions, a 100% subsidiary of centrotherm
photovoltaics AG and a developer of process tools and high-tech
production systems for the manufacture of semiconductor components,
has joined its Front End Processes (FEP) program, and will work with
SEMATECH to develop new low temperature processing techniques for
future high-performance logic and memory devices.

Continued scaling will require new materials and new device concepts
that necessitate lower thermal budget process flows. For example, to
enable the introduction of high mobility semiconductors as the
channel material of transistors, low temperature processes are
critical to preserve the beneficial properties of channel materials.
Similarly, advanced memory technologies require superior isolation as
well as low thermal budget oxidation approaches - especially for
metal oxide RRAM devices. Plasma-based processing techniques offer an
attractive approach to help realize such low-thermal budget processes
to enable the integration of new materials into emerging device
technologies.

As a member of this program, centrotherm will closely collaborate
with experts from SEMATECH´s FEP research team, to develop
plasma-based low temperature techniques using SEMATECH test
structures. The goal of this team would be to demonstrate their
applicability towards usage in high performance logic transistors and
memory devices in sub 14 nm advanced technology nodes.

"SEMATECH provides centrotherm with an excellent test device and
characterization platform to help centrotherm identify and
demonstrate applications for our tool," said Peter Augustin, CEO of
centrotherm thermal solutions GmbH & Co. KG. "This collaboration will
enable centrotherm to showcase low temperature processing
capabilities to our customers and is part of our ct focus program to
expand our Semiconductors & Microelectronics area."

"SEMATECH is pleased to welcome centrotherm as a partner," said Raj
Jammy, SEMATECH´s vice president of emerging technologies.
"centrotherm´s unique expertise in thermal solutions will complement
our own device and process expertise. We will work together to
develop practical and promising manufacturable solutions to address
the emerging needs of the advanced transistor and memory markets."

The goal of SEMATECH´s FEP program is to provide novel leading-edge
materials, processes, structural modules and electrical and physical
characterization methods to support the continued scaling of logic
and memory applications.

About centrotherm centrotherm thermal solutions GmbH & Co. KG, a 100%
subsidiary of centrotherm photovoltaics AG, develop processes and
high-tech production systems for the manufacture of semiconductor
components. In addition to the processes and technology,
centrotherm´s core area of expertise also covers the construction and
design of products. They find use in a wide range of
thermally-activated processes in various technologies and
applications (e.g. power semiconductors, LEDs, micromechanics, MEMS,
sensor technology). centrotherm photovoltaics AG, which is based at
Blaubeuren, Germany, is one of the world's leading technology and
equipment provider for the photovoltaics sector. The company equips
well-known solar companies and new sector entrants with turnkey
production lines and single equipment to manufacture silicon,
crystalline solar cells and thin film modules. As a consequence, the
Group possesses a broad and well-founded technological basis, as well
as key equipment at practically all steps of the photovoltaics value
chain. centrotherm photovoltaics guarantees its customers important
performance parameters such as production capacity, efficiencies, and
completion deadlines. The Group employed around 1,900 staff as of the
December 31, 2011 reporting date, and operates globally in Europe,
Asia and the USA. centrotherm photovoltaics achieved revenue in the
2011 financial year of around EUR 700 million. The company is listed
in the TecDAX index on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. For more
information see www.centrotherm.de.

About SEMATECH: SEMATECH®, the international consortium of leading
semiconductor device, equipment, and materials manufacturers, this
year celebrates 25 years of excellence in accelerating the
commercialization of technology innovations into manufacturing
solutions. Through our unwavering commitment to foster collaboration
across the nanoelectronics industry, we help our members and partners
address critical industry transitions, drive technical consensus,
pull research into the industry mainstream, improve manufacturing
productivity, and reduce risk and time to market. Information about
SEMATECH can be found at www.sematech.org.

Contact:
SEMATECH®
Erica McGill
001-518-649-1041
E-Mail: erica.mcgill@sematech.org

centrotherm
Saskia Feil
Senior Manager Investor & Public Relations
Tel: +49 7344 918-8890
E-mail: saskia.feil@centrotherm.de

Dr. Torsten Knödler
Manager Public Relations
Tel: +49 7344 918-8898
E-mail: torsten.knoedler@centrotherm.de

Further inquiry note:
Dr. Torsten Knödler
Manager Public Relations
Tel.: 07344 - 918-8898
E-Mail: torsten.knoedler@centrotherm.de

end of announcement euro adhoc
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company: centrotherm photovoltaics AG
Johannes-Schmid-Str. 8
D-89143 Blaubeuren
phone: +49 (0) 7344 91880
mail: info@centrotherm.de
WWW: http://www.centrotherm.de
sector: Energy
ISIN: DE000A0JMMN2
indexes: TecDAX
stockmarkets: free trade: Berlin, München, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart,
regulated dealing/prime standard: Frankfurt
language: English