Pure silicon isn’t terribly thrilling. It’s neither a perfect insulator nor a perfect conductor. It’s somewhere in the middle.
Inserting a smattering of boron or phosphorus atoms into the silicon crystal lattice really spices things up. This process is called ion implantation and it’s one of the fundamental processes used to make microchips.
Since we launched new ion implantation technology today, in the form of the Applied Varian VIISta® Trident high current system, it seems a good time to take a closer look at the fundamentals of ion implantation.
Applied Materials announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement under which Applied will acquire Varian for $63 per share in cash for a total price of approximately $4.9 billion on a fully-diluted basis.
The acquisition will extend Applied's leadership in wafer fabrication equipment (WFE) with the addition of the technology leader in ion implantation - a critical step in integrated circuit manufacturing.