FEI has joined the Damascus Alliance industry consortium of equipment suppliers founded by Novellus Systems, Lam Research and SpeedFam-IPEC in 1998 for copper dual damascene manufacturing promotion. An FEI DualBeam metrology system has been installed at the Customer Integration Center at Novellus' Silicon Valley campus.

In addition to the DualBeam metrology system, FEI will supply full-time,
on-site applications specialists, experienced in sub-surface critical
dimension and defect sourcing to the Alliance centre.

Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector (SPS) and DuPont Air Products
NanoMaterials plan, under the terms of a recent agreement, to collaborate on
an advanced copper chemical mechanical planarisation (CMP) formulation.
Motorola will provide its CMP formulation for 0.13 to 0.10micron design
rules to DA NanoMaterials, which will manufacture and market the slurry
formulation globally. DA NanoMaterials is a 50/50 joint venture between Air
Products and Chemicals and DuPont.
DA NanoMaterials was formed in January 2000 to manufacture and market CMP
slurries, abrasives and related components. Motorola and DA NanoMaterials
have worked closely together for 18 months to optimise the formulation and
will now expand their relationship to market and sell the product globally.
Under the long-term agreement, the advanced slurry will be marketed under DA
NanoMaterials' Ascend trademark. Motorola will provide for the transfer of
the licensed technology, as well as technical support and training while DA
NanoMaterials will provide the capability for installation, manufacture of
the slurry and quality control via its production facility in Ruabon, Wales.
The fully formulated copper slurry provides copper removal rates in excess
of 5000Angstroms/min and very low dishing and erosion.