Large-Scale Nanometer-Thick Graphite Film (NGF) As A EUV Pellicle


A new technical paper titled "Graphite Pellicle: Physical Shield for Next-Generation EUV Lithography Technology" was published by researchers at University of Ottawa, Sungkyunkwan University, and Hanbat National University. Abstract "Extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) is widely employed in the electronics, automotive, military, and AI computing areas for IC chip fabrication. A pellicl... » read more

Looking Forward To SPIE, And Beyond


On the eve of this year’s SPIE Advanced Lithography + Patterning conference, I took a look at the IEEE Devices and Systems Roadmap’s lithography section. It’s especially notable for the emergence of EUV lithography, which has quickly become critical for advanced logic. High-NA tools to support still smaller dimensions are on the horizon. In the near-term, though, the key challenge is not ... » read more

Mapping The Future Of Lithography


The SPIE Advanced Lithography + Patterning (AL+P) Symposium is always an informative event for lithographers, and looking at the Advance Program, it appears that AL+P 2023 will be no exception. The progress being made on key lithographic challenges is consistently of interest to attendees, and there will be many timely presentations that address issues of current significance. For example, r... » read more

Realization Of Sub-30-Pitch EUV Lithography Through The Application Of Functional Spin-On Glass


Photoresist metrics such as resolution, roughness, CD uniformity, and overall process window are often aimed to realize the full potential of EUV lithography. From the view of the materials supplier, improvements over the aforementioned metrics can be achieved by optimizing the functional materials used under the resist. The underlayers can significantly enhance the resist performance by provid... » read more

Metal Oxide Resist (MOR) EUV Lithography Processes For DRAM Application


This paper reports the readiness of key EUV resist process technologies using Metal Oxide Resist (MOR) aiming for the DRAM application. For MOR, metal contamination reduction and CD uniformity (CDU) are the key performance requirements expected concerning post exposure bake (PEB). Based on years of experience with spin-on type Inpria MOR, we have designed a new PEB oven to achieve contamination... » read more

ML Architecture for Solving the Inverse Problem for Matter Wave Lithography: LACENET


This recent technical paper titled "Realistic mask generation for matter-wave lithography via machine learning" was published by researchers at University of Bergen (Norway). Abstract: "Fast production of large area patterns with nanometre resolution is crucial for the established semiconductor industry and for enabling industrial-scale production of next-generation quantum devices. Metasta... » read more

High-NA EUV May Be Closer Than It Appears


High-NA EUV is on track to enable scaling down to the Angstrom level, setting the stage for chips with even higher transistor counts and a whole new wave of tools, materials, and system architectures. At the recent SPIE Advanced Lithography conference, Mark Phillips, director of lithography hardware and solutions at Intel, reiterated the company’s intention to deploy the technology in high... » read more

High-Temperature Stable Spin-On Carbon Materials For Advanced Pattern Transfer Applications


In recent years a strong demand has arisen for spin-on carbon (SOC) materials compatible with high-temperature processes. This requirement is to enable usage of high-temperature SOC (HTSOC) materials in integration schemes utilizing chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and/or atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes. In addition to compatibility with the high-temperature deposition processes, planari... » read more

Investigation of the Resistivity and Emissivity of a Pellicle Membrane for EUV Lithography


New technical paper from Hanyang University and University of Texas at Dallas. Abstract "A pellicle is a thin membrane structure that protects an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask from contamination during the exposure process. However, its limited transmittance induces unwanted heating owing to the absorption of EUV photons. The rupture of the EUV pellicle can be avoided by improving its ther... » read more

International Roadmap for Devices and Systems lithography roadmap


Abstract: "Background: Planned improvements in semiconductor chip performance have historically driven improvements in lithography and this is expected to continue in the future. The International Roadmap for Devices and Systems roadmap helps the industry plan for the future. Aim: The 2021 lithography roadmap shows requirements, possible options, and challenges for the next 15 years. Resul... » read more

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