Online information source for semiconductor professionals

Product Briefing Outline: Brewer Science has introduced an ArF 193nm anti-reflective coating, the ‘ARC 160,' that is designed to enable faster etch and significantly reduce out-gassing during the bake process step. According to Brewer, the new ARC is usable in a wide range of applications such as pre-metal dielectric, hardmask and shallow trench isolation. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: Vistec Semiconductor Systems has introduced the Vistec LWM9045, a SEM-based Critical Dimension (CD) measurement system for photomask manufacture. The tool was designed specifically to address the needs for 45nm technology node photomask production and 32nm process development cycles. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: Vistec Semiconductor Systems has launched its next generation mask metrology tool, Vistec LMS IPRO4. This new high-end device is designed to support mask metrology for the 45nm technology node and beyond. The new system is a fully automated mask metrology system, capable to measure registration (overlay on reticles) as well as critical dimensions (CD) in transmitted and in reflected light. Several purchase orders for LMS IPRO4 systems have already been placed by the most advanced captive mask shops in Europe and the US. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: KLA-Tencor has updated and improved its PROLITH lithography optimization product with the launch of PROLITH 10. The new upgrades are designed to enable users to accurately predict lithography process windows for
designs down to 32nm. KLA-Tencor claims that with the accuracy of PROLITH 10, customers have already cut costly experimental lithography wafer runs by up to half, as well as dramatically reducing cycle time to production and speeding time to market. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: Brion Technologies has launched ‘Tachyon 2.0,' its second-generation computational lithography platform. Designed for DFM challenges at the 45nm and 32nm nodes, Tachyon 2.0 is claimed to offer a 4x increase in modeling power and a significant increase in the speed of optical proximity correction (OPC) and OPC verification. With improved process-window accuracy and speed, a single Tachyon 2.0 system rack provides the same production capacity as four first generation Tachyon racks, according to the company. Brion will deliver beta Tachyon 2.0 systems in March with midyear volume shipments. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: Gigaphoton Inc. has launched its newest addition to its argon fluoride (ArF) excimer laser light source portfolio: the GT61A. With an emission wavelength of 193nm and a repetition rate of 6,000 Hz, the GT61A is designed for next-generation lithography tools with numerical apertures of 1.3 and higher. GT61A has already begun shipment, according to the company. Gigaphoton expects the GT61A will be integrated into advanced lithography tools and used within volume production environments at major global semiconductor manufacturers starting mid-2007. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL) will release its new 300mm high productivity coater/developer, ‘CLEAN TRACKT' ‘LITHIUS Pro,' in the fall of 2007. The platform will be intended primarily for immersion lithography applications intended for high volume production environments. The system has been designed to offer dramatically higher productivity and reliability, according to the company. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: Takumi Technology Corp. has launched two new products designed to optimize IC physical design and enhance yields. Named Takumi Inspect and Takumi Enhance, these new tools detect, rate and automatically repair hot spots in sub-90nm designs. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: Nikon has introduced the NSR-SF150, a scan field i-line stepper with extended high throughput and even lower claimed cost of ownership than previous i-line models. Throughput has been increased by more than 50 percent to 180 wafers per hour or more, while overlay was reduced by more than 30 percent over the previous model (NSR-SF140). The system makes use of leading-edge lens technology to achieve the same wide exposure field as DUV scanners, making it better for mix-and-match applications. SF150 can be used for sub-critical (180nm & above) layers in mass production of next-generation memory and microprocessors. Nikon will begin shipping systems in the second quarter of 2007. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: GenISys GmbH has launched a new software tool for users of e-Beam lithography. The preparation of large layout data for e-beam direct write requires a highly efficient, flexible and robust framework for design and execution of complex processes including layout handling, processing, PEC, process modeling & correction, inspection and conversion to the machine format. GenISys' layout BEAMER 2.0, software is designed to speed data-prep processing and includes proximity effect correction (PEC) software that is specific to e-Beam lithography requirements. Read more >>