Applied Materials

We are pleased to welcome Akash Palkhiwala to our board of directors. As CFO and COO of Qualcomm, Akash brings extensive financial, operational and semiconductor leadership, and will also serve on the board’s Audit Committee. His strategic perspective will help strengthen Applied Materials as we continue to drive AI and advanced semiconductor technology innovation. Read more: https://bit.ly/4cfu4mo

Applied Materials was honored to host Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren to discuss our critical role in advancing semiconductor innovation and historical investment in the EPIC Center. The center is designed from the ground up to dramatically reduce the time it takes to commercialize breakthrough technologies from early-stage research to full-scale manufacturing. #MakeItMaterial

Today's advanced AI processors deliver extraordinary performance but are increasingly limited by how quickly data can move between compute and memory. How can the semiconductor industry overcome this bottleneck? By bringing compute and memory closer together, making data transfer faster and more energy efficient. That’s where advanced packaging and high-bandwidth memory (HBM) come in. As advanced packages incorporate more chiplets and denser interconnects, they can also introduce new manufacturing challenges such as die warpage, fine-pitch wiring formation and bonding precision. In our latest blog, we break down three new systems that tackle these challenges: Nokota VMax 2 ECD for plating uniformity, Opta Quad CMP with its industry-leading planarization, and Producer Avila 2 PECVD delivering mechanical stability improvement. Read how we’re bringing next-generation AI systems to market faster and at scale: https://bit.ly/4gExEsD

Here at Applied, instead of seeing around corners, we see #AroundTheCurve—of a wafer, that is. We actively create solutions and drive future semiconductor breakthroughs that are based in materials engineering innovation. Sundeep Bajikar, Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Marketing, recently shared insights about semiconductor growth and the exciting shift that is happening in our industry. Learn more in his Forbes Business Development Council article. #MakeItMaterial https://bit.ly/3LBx8ik

AI compute is outpacing gains in bandwidth and efficiency, pushing the industry swiftly into HBM and 3D stacking. But stacking more DRAM layers isn't easy, it takes real material innovation, and it's exactly why we built Producer Avila 2 PECVD. To fit more layers into an HBM stack, DRAM dies are thinned to roughly 1/25th the thickness of a standard wafer. At that thickness dies warp easily and that effect compounds as you stack 12, 16, or more layers, increasing the risk of bonding failure and yield loss when reliability matters most. Producer Avila 2 solves this challenge: a PECVD system that deposits stress-balanced dielectric films around TSVs, stabilizing ultra-thin DRAM dies so they can stack reliably at today's 12- and 16-layer HBM designs. Balance the stress at deposition, and you don't have to fight warpage later during bonding. As HBM becomes the default path to more AI memory bandwidth, die-level mechanical stability isn't a nice-to-have, it's the yield-determining variable. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4vkoiqb

AI is pushing package sizes beyond the practical limits of traditional silicon interposers—driving the industry toward a new packaging paradigm. Watch Dr. Jinho An, Senior Director of Heterogeneous Integration in the Semiconductor Products Group, explain why panel-based packaging is emerging as a promising path forward. By directly tackling larger form factors and emerging substrate materials like glass, we are helping unlock the next era of AI system scaling. #MakeItMaterial

At Applied Materials, we’re committed to delivering breakthrough technology that scales the energy efficient computing roadmap. We’ve accelerated our transition to renewable energy, powering operations with cleaner, more sustainable sources. Today, we’re matching 75% of our global electricity use with renewable energy and maintaining 100% renewable electricity across U.S. operations—a major step toward our 2030 sustainability goal and advancing sustainability in the semiconductor industry. 🔗 Learn how we’re scaling clean energy in our 2025 Impact Report: https://bit.ly/3TxcovI #WeAreApplied #MakeItMaterial

Colm is one of our talented engineers, solving complex challenges in support of our customers worldwide. His work enables the technologies that power AI, advanced computing and next-generation electronics. Join our Field Service Engineer team and make an impact that extends across the globe and into the future. Apply now. https://bit.ly/3RY7Nm3

This month marks the three-year anniversary of the Applied Materials Momentum Fund, and it's inspiring to reflect on the impact it has made so far. Through Applied Materials' partnership with Last Mile Education Fund, the Momentum Fund helps engineering students overcome unexpected financial challenges—whether it's a rent increase, a tuition gap, or an emergency car repair—that could otherwise put their education at risk. The fund has supported 340 students across 34 states. Some Momentum scholars have joined Applied, demonstrating how investing in students today helps strengthen the STEM workforce of tomorrow. One scholar shared: "This award made a HUGE impact. I can focus more on my studies rather than focus on how am I going to afford things." It's a powerful reminder that the right support at the right time can change the trajectory of a student's future. Congratulations to everyone who has helped make the Momentum Fund a success over the past three years.

Pathfinding work on 3D DRAM is already underway, laying the foundation for the next era of memory innovation and AI computing. Watch Dr. Sony Varghese, Managing Director of Technology Strategy in the Semiconductor Products Group, explain why 3D DRAM will require a fundamentally different materials engineering approach than 3D NAND—relying on advanced capabilities that have long been key areas of Applied’s leadership. #MakeItMaterial