TEL and ASML agree on long-term joint development
Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL)and ASML Holding NV announced plans to jointly evaluate their most advanced tools and engage in long-term joint development programs. Under this agreement, TEL will deliver the company's resist coater/developer, CLEAN TRACK LITHIUS, to ASML Veldhoven.
TEL's CLEAN TRACK LITHIUS and ASML's TWINSCAN XT:1900i will be paired for joint development, which is scheduled to start in early 2007. Since 2004, the two companies have exchanged equipment and shared evaluation facilities with the goals of developing next generation technologies and improving litho cluster productivity. Under this new agreement, TEL and ASML will collaborate to optimize equipment performance for R&D and high-volume production for 45nm and future technology node processes.
In early 2007 at ASML Veldhoven, joint development will commence with work on reducing defects and improving critical dimension uniformity for 45nm node mass production immersion ArF processes. For increased productivity, the two companies will work on litho cluster optimization to achieve throughputs of 180 wafers per hour and higher.
The joint effort will also include double patterning process research and development, an application that is being considered as a candidate for next generation patterning technology.
"Technological innovation has made the collaborative efforts between exposure equipment manufacturers and coater/developer manufacturers essential for achieving success in our industry. I am confident that the long-term joint development system with ASML in advanced technology will enable us to meet our customers' future requirements," remarked Hikaru Ito, TEL CLEAN TRACK Business UnitGeneral Manager.
"Current lithography technologies, such as immersion and double patterning require greater synergy between scanner and track systems than ever before," said Martin van den Brink, EVP Marketing and Technology, ASML. "ASML looks forward to continuing collaboration with TEL under this agreement to develop solutions that will meet our customers' needs."
