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Japan's Hyperactive Litho Firms

Nikon, Canon and Tokyo Electron made a stream of announcements in preparation for next week's SEMICON West show in the USA.

Canon has begun accepting purchase orders for its latest 300mm-compatible
lithography tool, the FPA-6000ES6. The KrF (248nm) scanning stepper is aimed
at volume production at the 100nm node. The FPA-6000ES5 realises a numerical
aperture (NA) of 0.86 and a wafer scanning speed of 500mm/sec. The tool
achieves throughput levels of more than 147wph (wafers per hour) for 300mm
wafers and more than 170wph for 200mm wafers. Canon has scheduled delivery
of the FPA-6000ES6 to commence from Q2 2004. The first-year sales-target is
50 units.



Nikon's Kr scanner is aimed at 110nm devices. The NSR-S270D can process more
than 160 200mm and 115 300mm wafers/hour. This represents a 30% increase
over the company's previous KrF tool.



Nikon has shipped its first electron beam (EB) stepper, the NSR-EB1A, to the
Semiconductor Leading Edge Technologies (Selete) industry consortium in
Japan. The system shipped to Selete is claimed as the world's first full
field electron projection lithography (EPL) tool and will initially be used
for advanced 65nm development. Nikon also has R&D efforts evaluating and
developing other technologies including immersion ArF, fluorine (F2, 157nm)
and extreme ultra-violet (EUV).



Nikon has succeeded in increasing the EPL writing speed by exposing an area
2500 times larger than earlier systems using sub-field shots that are
250microns square, thereby achieving fast processing times. The first system
will achieve 7-10 wafers/hour for 300mm wafers and the mass-production
system will achieve 15-20 wafers/hour. In the past, electron beam
lithography systems produced less than one wafer per hour.
The price is expected to be slightly higher than a leading-edge
argon-fluoride (ArF) stepper. Although the system is more expensive,
expensive phase-shifting is not needed and mask costs can be greatly reduced
by using standard stencil techniques.



Tokyo Electron (TEL) and Nikon are to engage in joint development of liquid
immersion exposure technology as it relates to exposure systems. The goal of
the work is to further extending the useful lifespan of ArF exposure
systems.



Stepper resolution is determined by the light wavelength, numerical aperture
(NA) and "k", the process coefficient. Smaller wavelengths mean better
(smaller) resolution. NA indicates the brightness of the projection lens and
should be as high as possible. NA is determined by the refractive index (n)
of the medium through which the exposure light passes and the maximum
incidence angle formed by the exposure light. Because normal exposure occurs
in air, n is usually 1. By contrast, liquid immersion exposure technology
uses a liquid with a refractive index of greater than 1 to increase NA.
Depth of focus can also be improved. Immersion ArF lithography would be
carried out with purified water (refractive index of 1.44) filling the space
between the projection lens and wafer. This method has traditionally been
used with microscopes. In recent years, serious studies have commenced with
regard to applying this method to liquid immersion exposure systems.
The companies will verify these element technologies by the end of 2003, and
aim to enter mass production as soon as possible, in order to meet the
demand in the semiconductor industry for liquid immersion exposure
technology as a manufacturer of semiconductor production equipment. The
companies will also draw on the cooperation of various resist material
suppliers, as the resist is a key element of the lithography process and
thus promote the use of liquid immersion technology in practical
application.



Nikon also introduced the NSR-S307 ArF (193nm) lithography scanner aimed at
mass production of 80nm devices and development of 65nm devices. The system
claims the world's highest numerical aperture (NA) 0.85 projection lens with
a newly developed, high productivity platform, improving resolution while
increasing throughput. The NSR-S307E can process more than 160 wafers per
hour for 200mm applications (112 for 300mm). Nikon will begin shipping
systems after October of this year.



Clariant's AZ Electronic Materials business has installed a Nikon S306C
full-field 193nm scanner with a numerical aperture (NA) of 0.78. The company
says that this is the first high-NA 193nm scanner with 300mm capability at a
photoresist manufacturer. It is linked to a Tokyo Electron (TEL) ACT 12
coat-and-develop track. AZ will use the scanner for new product development
and customer support.



"With a lower NA tool, it is not possible to distinguish between performance
of candidate photoresist formulations," says Dr Ralph Dammel, AZ's director
of technology for 193nm products. "The new tool will enhance our development
of new photoresists as we strive toward the next nodes on the technology
roadmap.



"This investment may provide even longer-term benefits than previously
thought because 193nm immersion technology may extend the use of 193nm
lithography two more nodes on the roadmap to as low as 45nm, which was
originally predicted to be achieved through 157nm technology."
AZ has also made a firm commitment to upgrade its scanner capability with a
0.85 NA tool in late 2004.




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