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Chartered Semiconductor has adopted Brion Technologies computational lithography products for 45nm and below technology nodes, including Brion’s double-patterning solutions. Chartered will use ‘Tachyon’ OPC+ (optical proximity correction), Tachyon LMC (lithography manufacturability check), and Tachyon resolution enhancement products, which enable the foundry to select the optimum combination of techniques for each design and every layer, which help to minimize lithography costs. Read more >>

SMIC is to adopt Cadence Design Systems ‘Litho Physical Analyzer’ and ‘Litho Electrical Analyzer’ for IC designs entering into manufacturing for both the 65nm and 45nm nodes. Both tools enable better simulation of the impact of lithography processes on manufacturability of devices. Read more >>

DRAM manufacturers, in particular Samsung and Hynix are placing new orders with ASML for 193nm ArF immersion tools as they ramp 4xnm production, sparking a significant boost to the lithography suppliers third quarter financial results and forward bookings. ASML saw net sales increase to €555 million, compared to second quarter sales of €277 million. 24 lithography systems were shipped in the quarter, which were valued at €459 million. Service revenue reached € 96 million. 13 immersion systems were shipped, including 2 used systems. Bookings in the quarter reached 35 systems valued by ASML at €777 million, pushing the order backlog to€ 1,353 million, consisting of 54 systems including 37 immersion tools. ASML noted that 71% of the order backlog (€958 million) carries shipment dates in the next 6 months, up from 59% in Q209. Read more >>

After approximately 15 years in the making, Carl Zeiss has said that the first Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) optics system designed for volume production has now been shipped to ASML. The first wave of production EUV tools are expected to be shipped by ASML in the second half of 2010 and will have 60 wafers per hour throughput, according to the company. Read more >>

Dai Nippon Printing has selected HamaTech’s ‘MaskTrack Pro’ TeraPure system for cleaning imprint photomasks made for Nano-Imprint Lithography (NIL) tools. The system is scheduled for installation at the DNP facility in Japan in January 2010. Read more >>

Citing short and mid-term needs from DRAM and Logic IC manufacturers for advanced lithography systems, ASML has revised 3Q09 revenue guidance. Previously, the company guided sales of approximately €450 million. This has been increased to above €500 million with bookings significantly above that level, according to ASML. Read more >>

Another Japanese photoresist supplier has teamed with SEMATECH to develop EUV resists for use at the 22nm node and beyond. Shin-Etsu Chemical will gain access to two micro-exposure tools (METs) located at the University at Albany’s College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering and University of California at Berkeley, as well as several advanced metrology tools to help develop the highly sensitive resists required for EUV lithography. Read more >>

SUSS MicroTec has shipped and installed a LithoPack300 lithography cluster to a customer in Japan, which will be used for 3D IC integration technology development. The cluster tool includes coat, bake, expose and develop modules for wafers up to 300mm. Read more >>

Toshiba Corporation has placed an order with Obducat’s Japanese distributor Canon Marketing Japan for one of its on nanoimprint lithography (NIL) systems. Toshiba use the NIL system for advanced R&D within several key application areas such as optoelectronics. Obducat said that its technology was selected from a range of suppliers after several evaluations of imprint trials. Read more >>

Nanometrics Inc., supplier of process control metrology systems used primarily in the manufacturing and packaging of semiconductors, solar photovoltaics and high-brightness LEDs, has announced a multiple system order for its Caliper Mosaic overlay metrology system. Read more >>