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Jul 18, 2007 at 09:01 AM |
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 By Dr Mike Cooke
Companies working with litho tool maker ASML report deals that are designed to push litho capabilities. Lens manufacturer Carl Zeiss SMT has produced a high numerical aperture (NA) lens that would take 248nm KrF lithography down to 80nm. At the same time, litho light source producer Cymer will be providing extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation systems.
Carl Zeiss' new Starlith 1000 lens has an NA 0.93 and will be part of ASML's new TWINSCAN™ XT:1000 due to begin shipping in 2008. KrF litho uses a longer wavelength compared with the leading-edge ArF (193nm) systems. Longer wavelength, but lower cost, KrF system have less image resolving power compared with shorter wavelength systems. Increasing the NA enables the theoretical limit of such systems to be approached more closely. Cymer has been booked as the EUV source supplier for ASML's EUV scanners for high-volume manufacturing. Cymer disclosed that it has signed a multi-year, multi-unit EUV source agreement with the first shipment scheduled for late 2008. "After nearly a decade of research and development in EUV source technologies, we are pleased to announce achievement of our 50 watt instantaneous power milestone on schedule last month and that we are on track to higher required levels of performance," says Bob Akins, co-founder and chief executive officer of Cymer. "Together with ASML, Cymer is committed to commercializing EUV source technology to ensure the availability of sub-32nm exposure tools." Cymer's system is based on radiation from a laser-produced plasma (LPP) consisting of multi-staged carbon dioxide (CO2) laser and tin (Sn) droplet target. The system has been in operation since June 2006. In the first quarter of 2007, Cymer claimed a breakthrough in debris mitigation technology that is said to substantially extend the lifetime of the multi-layer-mirror (MLM) collector for economically viable operations.
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