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Product Briefing Outline: Advantest Corporation has introduced its new F3000 electron beam (EB) lithography system, which supports 300mm wafer process technology and 65nm rule devices and below. Utilizing Advantest's experience in high-resolution electron optical technology, the new system has a more rigid body and other improvements that achieve a 20% improvement over the previous model in image placement accuracy and critical dimension control, according to the company.

Problem: As chip-makers shift to high-mix, variable-volume production, they also face increasing market pressure to fill orders faster by reducing manufacturing times. However, the mainstream optical lithography method of writing circuits onto wafers confronts LSI developers with several obstacles to increased efficiency. Among the most serious are the soaring costs of masks, resulting from miniaturization, and the increasing times necessary to their manufacture.

Solution: The F3000 is an EB lithography system optimized for system LSIs of 65nm and smaller, supporting 300mm wafer process technology that offers shorter TATs in high-mix, variable-volume production environments. The F3000 boasts a more rigid body and upgrades to every aspect of its functionality, leading to significant improvements in image placement accuracy, according to the company. The F3000 is equipped with an upgraded block exposure function to enhance processing capacity and pattern characteristics.

Applications: LSIs, SoCs in high-mix, variable-volume production environments.

Platform: Supported wafer size is 300mm. Minimum line width is less than or equal to 40nm. Dimensional accuracy is less than or equal to 7nm. Overlay accuracy is less than                or equal to 20nm. Drawing method used is block exposure system with a maximum of 100 blocks being selectable. Block magnification is 60x.

Availability: October 2006 onwards.