Applied Materials Partners with SCREEN To Bring Advanced Wafer Cleaning Technologies to EPIC Center
- Collaborative R&D at Applied's EPIC Center in Silicon Valley will enable higher yields and faster commercialization of next-generation chips
- Partnership deepens long-standing joint development relationship to overcome process challenges in leading-edge chipmaking
SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT), the leader in materials engineering solutions for the semiconductor industry, today announced that SCREEN Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd. (SCREEN SPE), a group company of SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd. (TSE: 7735), has joined the EPIC Center as its newest innovation partner. The collaboration will bring together SCREEN SPE's expertise in wafer cleaning technology with Applied's leadership in materials engineering to develop co-optimized process solutions for the world's most advanced chips.
As semiconductor devices have become increasingly complex, precise wafer surface cleanliness has become a critical enabler of yield, device performance, and reliability at the most advanced process nodes. Any defects introduced during deposition, etch, and materials modification steps must be addressed with ever-greater precision, making co-optimized cleaning solutions an essential component of developing next-generation materials engineering technologies.
By combining Applied's deep process expertise across deposition, dry etch and materials modification with SCREEN SPE's industry-leading cleaning, wet etch and surface preparation capabilities, the two companies can develop co-optimized, end-to-end process solutions that help chipmakers achieve higher yields and faster time-to-production on next-generation devices.
"The EPIC Center is designed to dramatically accelerate the commercialization of next-generation semiconductor technologies by co-locating and co-innovating with customers and partners across the entire semiconductor ecosystem," said Dr. Prabu Raja, President of the Semiconductor Products Group at Applied Materials. "SCREEN SPE's wet etch and surface preparation capabilities are deeply intertwined with virtually every process step in chip manufacturing. By bringing our technologies together at the EPIC Center, we can develop co-optimized process solutions that address the increasingly complex surface engineering challenges our customers face as they push to the next technology frontier."
"SCREEN SPE and Applied Materials share a long history of technical collaboration, and we are proud to deepen that partnership at Applied's new EPIC Center in Silicon Valley," said Akihiko Okamoto, President of SCREEN Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd. "As device structures become more intricate and process windows narrow, the interface between wet etch and cleaning technology and adjacent process steps has never been more important. The deployment of our cleaning, wet etch and surface preparation technologies at Applied's EPIC Center enables the evaluation of process-optimized solutions across the full process flow, supporting higher performance and greater reliability for our customers' most advanced devices."
The new partnership builds on a collaborative relationship that includes joint process development work at Applied's Materials Engineering Technology Accelerator (META) Center in Albany, New York, where SCREEN SPE's single-wafer cleaning systems have been deployed to support pre- and post-process cleaning optimization across film formation, etch, and ion implantation workflows. The new EPIC Center collaboration significantly expands the scope and scale of this relationship, enabling the companies' engineering teams to work in proximity on a broader range of next-generation process challenges with faster cycles of learning and more direct integration into Applied's R&D programs.
Applied's new EPIC (Equipment and Process Innovation and Commercialization) Center in Silicon Valley represents the largest-ever U.S. investment in advanced semiconductor equipment R&D. Spanning more than 180,000 square feet on Applied's Silicon Valley campus, the center is designed from the ground up to dramatically reduce the time it takes to commercialize breakthrough technologies — compressing the journey from early-stage research to full-scale manufacturing by as much as half. The EPIC Center serves as a collaborative hub where leading chipmakers, equipment and materials suppliers, and research institutions work alongside Applied's teams to accelerate the development of next-generation semiconductor technologies. The facility is on track to become operational in 2026.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including those regarding Applied's investment and growth strategies, the development of new materials and technologies, industry outlook and technology requirements, the plans and expectations for the EPIC Center, and other statements that are not historical facts. These statements and their underlying assumptions are subject to risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements include, without limitation: the demand for semiconductors and customers' technology requirements; the ability to develop new and innovative technologies; the ability to obtain and protect intellectual property rights in key technologies; the ability to achieve the objectives of the EPIC Center; and other risks and uncertainties described in Applied's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Applied's most recent Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. All forward-looking statements are based on management's current estimates, projections and assumptions, and Applied assumes no obligation to update them.
About Applied Materials
Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) is the leader in materials engineering solutions that are at the foundation of virtually every new semiconductor and advanced display in the world. The technology we create is essential to advancing AI and accelerating the commercialization of next-generation chips. At Applied, we push the boundaries of science and engineering to deliver material innovation that changes the world. Learn more at www.appliedmaterials.com.
About SCREEN SPE
SCREEN Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd. is a leading manufacturer of wafer processing equipment for the global semiconductor market. SCREEN consistently holds the No.1 global share* in wafer cleaning equipment and provides a broad range of solutions that support semiconductor manufacturing, including lithography, annealing, and measurement/inspection systems. Learn more at https://www.screen.co.jp/spe/en.
* Based on SCREEN in-house research
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Applied Materials
Ricky Gradwohl (editorial/media) 408.235.4676
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