Intermolecular and Elpida Launch R&D Collaboration for Next-Generation Memory Technology

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Intermolecular, Inc. today announced a new collaborative development program (CDP) and licensing agreement with Elpida Memory, Inc. (Tokyo SE: 6665), a leading global memory supplier, to enable rapid development of new materials and process technologies for Elpida’s next-generation ICs. The CDP will utilize Intermolecular's physical vapor deposition (PVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) workflows and applications.

Based on Intermolecular’s High-Productivity Combinatorial™ (HPC) technology, the program with Elpida will focus on development of advanced memory technology suitable for high-volume manufacturing.

Based in Intermolecular’s San Jose facility and supported by the company’s informatics Web-based software, the program will involve close collaboration between Intermolecular and Elpida’s development office. Intermolecular’s informatics software system serves as a backbone for seamlessly integrating processing and characterization tools into unified R&D workflows. For example, the informatics system provides for automated generation and execution of experiments, design and tracking of experimental splits and the associated metrology and e-test data, and use of statistical best-known methods to automatically analyze and interpret data and generate reports.

“This partnership with Intermolecular will significantly broaden and accelerate the scope of materials evaluation and process integration for our advanced memory technologies,” said Takao Adachi, Elpida director, chief technical officer, Future Technology Development Office. “To successfully compete in today’s memory market, it’s critical to rapidly develop, qualify and deliver the best-performing products to customers. Collaborating with Intermolecular on R&D will strengthen our leadership position in the memory sector.”

“This agreement with Elpida is a powerful endorsement of our HPC technology,” said David Lazovsky, Intermolecular’s chief executive officer. “Our collaborative development program enables this memory leader to produce hard data with unprecedented speed by conducting hundreds of individual experiments in parallel. The result is fast, confident decisions on the properties and manufacturability of innovative materials, process technologies and device structures identified and developed in this program.”

As part of Intermolecular’s Tempus™ HPC™ platform, the PVD and ALD systems enable rapid development for both front end-of-line (FEOL) and back end-of-line (BEOL) processes. Based on massively parallel processing, characterization and informatics, the applications deliver dramatically faster R&D learning, greater return on investment and reduced risk.

Intermolecular is the semiconductor industry’s only provider of fully integrated combinatorial R&D technology, powered by systems and methodologies that radically accelerate discovery and integration of new materials, new process technologies and new device structures. The company’s Tempus HPC platform enables customers to maximize their R&D return on investment through economical high-speed development, integration and electrical testing of a large number of alternative solution sets.

About Intermolecular

Intermolecular, Inc. delivers High Productivity Combinatorial™ (HPC) technology products and services that enable customers to maximize semiconductor R&D ROI. The company’s Tempus™ HPC™ Platform offers chipmakers, materials suppliers and equipment manufacturers integrated processing, characterization and informatics systems that exponentially accelerate learning in materials discovery, process development and IC device integration.

Customers apply Intermolecular’s technologies in their R&D projects through Collaborative Development Programs (CDPs) with Intermolecular’s multidisciplinary team, or through purchase of Tempus systems, or by licensing of IP developed and qualified by Intermolecular. By leveraging HPC technologies to quickly develop, integrate and electrically test multiple alternative solutions, at minimum cost and risk, customers obtain unique IP and time-to-market advantage.

Founded in 2004, Intermolecular is based in San Jose, California. A more detailed description of the Tempus HPC platform and information about customer projects are available at http://www.intermolecular.com.

©2008 Business Wire. All of the news releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws, treaties and conventions. Information contained in the releases is furnished by Business Wire's members, who warrant that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. All reproduction, other than for an individual user's personal reference, is prohibited without prior written permission.