HamaTech Advanced Process Equipment (HamaTech APE) has said it has reached a new milestone for its 45nm capable MaskTrack photomask cleaning system with the shipment of its 30th tool.

Although EUVL remains the favored choice by lithography experts for semiconductor imaging at the 22nm node, according to attendees at the 3rd SEMATECH Litho Forum in May, IBM and Toppan Printing have said that they are now collaborating on all phases of 22nm photomask process development using 193nm ArF immersion lithography technology. Initially, the two companies started development of photomask fabrication processes for the 45nm node in 2005 that was followed up with a 32nm agreement in 2007. 

A major semiconductor IC manufacturer based in Asia has placed a multi-million euro order with Vistec that includes one LMS IPRO4 and one LWM9045 system, which are used for advanced photomask metrology applications. 

The Si2 Design-for-Manufacturability Coalition has welcomed Takumi Technology as its newest member. Takumi follows in the footsteps of Intel, Infineon, Mentor Graphics, UMC and STARC, who joined the association in January. Si2 was founded to maintain standards between EDA software tools and manufacturing software and now represents nearly 100 companies in all areas of the silicon supply chain. 

Toshiba Corporation has selected the Mentor Graphics ‘Calibre’ DFM platform for its device extraction flow aimed at controlling manufacturing variability at the 45nm and beyond. Toshiba said that it has been addressing manufacturing variability issues with close cooperation between engineers in their design and device divisions. Their goal was to develop an advanced systematic device extraction flow integrated with its lithography flow that could provide more accurate transistor models incorporating precise effects that become significant at 45nm and smaller nodes. 

At the 3rd SEMATECH Litho Forum, held in Bolton Landing, NY last week, a survey of the 200-plus lithography experts attending believed that the technology solution for nominal 32nm half-pitch in 2013 is double patterning using 193nm dry or water-based immersion lithography tools. EUV lithography remains the preferred choice for nominal 22nm half-pitch node. 

Molecular Imprints has successfully completed a $12.9 million round in new funding, taking its tally to $91 million in total. This includes $73 million in strategic and venture capital financing, $15 million from U.S. federal government agencies and $3 million from the Texas Emerging Technology Fund.