Dr. Paolo Gargini, Director of Technology Strategy for Intel Corporation, has confirmed the company will be adopting 193nm ArF immersion lithography technology, starting with critical layers only, at the 45nm tech node. The news comes from an investor note sent to Jeffries International investors by its European semiconductor analyst, Titus Menzies today. According to the report, Intel's Gargini confirmed during ISS Europe, held in Berlin earlier in the week, that immersion lithography would be extended to non-critical layers at the 32nm node with EUV lithography still planned to be introduced for critical layers at that node.

Gargini also confirmed that it would retain its two current lithography tool suppliers, ASML and Nikon to supply the immersion tools. Gargini also commented on the move by Nikon to change from a single stage platform to a dual stage setup as the right move for its Japanese supplier. The Intel technology strategist did not know at this time how many immersion tools would be needed for start of production at the 45nm node in Q405. Apparently this is due to Intelís ability to push "dry" 193nm ArF tools with the use of reticle enhancement techniques further than initially thought.

The decision by Intel to adopt immersion would seem to be a compromise. Intel had previously decided to pursue an all "dry" 193nm ArF roadmap. However, meeting Depth of Focus requirements and improved aberration levels, may not have given them a good enough process window and yields would suffer. Bringing in an all immersion with RET strategy would allow the process window to widen but throughput and Cost of Ownership issues would have a negative effect on ASP's. A combination of the two types of tool now seems likely.