Applied Materials Announces 2N AI Chip Innovations: Viva Free Radical Surface Treatment and Sym3 Z Magnum PVT2 Etch for GAA Transistors (AMAT)

Applied Materials (AMAT) on February 12, 2026, announced new deposition, etch and material modification systems to enhance performance and energy efficiency of 2nm and beyond GAA transistors in AI chips. The solutions focus on atomic-level gate and channel engineering to meet AI workloads. The company introduced the Viva free-radical surface treatment to clean and uniform GAA nanosheets, reducing defect impact and improving electron mobility. The Centris Spectral atomic-layer deposition system deposits single-crystal tantalum for interconnects, potentially reducing key contact resistance by up to 15% compared to conventional tungsten. In advanced etch, the Sym3 Z Magnum platform integrates PVT2 to achieve precise, ion-controlled high aspect-ratio trenches in GAA and DRAM/HBM processes, with over 250 process cells deployed globally. These innovations support continued Moore’s Law scaling and next-generation AI compute.