Viability of aZnMIm As A Resist For EUV Lithography (Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, Intel et al.)


A new technical paper (preprint) titled "Extreme Ultraviolet and Beyond Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography using Amorphous Zeolitic Imidazolate Resists Deposited by Atomic/Molecular Layer Deposition" was published by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, Northwestern University, Intel Corporation, Bruker Nano, EUV Tech and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. The paper states "This study demonstr... » read more

Are Larger Reticle Sizes On The Horizon?


Making high-NA EUV lithography work will take a manufacturing-worthy approach to stitching together circuits or a wholesale change to larger masks. Circuit stitching between the exposure fields is challenging the design, yield and manufacturability of the high-NA (0.55) EUV transition. The alternative is a radical change from 6x6-inch to 6x11-inch masks that would eliminate stitching, but it... » read more

EUV Lithography: The Resolution Capability And Stochastic Behavior From Statistical Viewpoints


A new technical paper titled "Statistics of EUV exposed nanopatterns: Photons to molecular dissolutions" was published by Hiroshi Fukuda, Hitachi High-Tech Corporation. Abstract "For higher computing power of semiconductor integrated circuits, pattern feature sizes below 10 nm are anticipated by introducing extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography with high numerical aperture (NA) optics. Ho... » read more

Mask Complexity, Cost, And Change


Experts at the Table: As leading-edge lithography nodes push further into EUV and beyond, mask-making has become one of the most critical and costly aspects of semiconductor manufacturing. At the same time, non-EUV applications are stretching the lifetime of older tools and processes, challenging the industry to find new solutions for both ends of the spectrum. Semiconductor Engineering sat dow... » read more

Reflecting On The SPIE Advanced Lithography + Patterning Symposium 2025


The mood at this year’s SPIE Advanced Lithography + Patterning Symposium was decidedly upbeat. The outlook for business is good, due in large measure to expectations of high demand for chips, driven by artificial intelligence (AI). To realize the potential of AI, increases in chip performance and efficiency are needed, which, in turn, requires advanced patterning. In the Symposium’s technic... » read more

Many Options For EUV Photoresists, No Clear Winner


In EUV lithography, and especially high-numerical-aperture EUV, balancing tradeoffs between resolution, sensitivity and line-width roughness is becoming increasingly difficult. Lithography patterning using extreme UV exposure depends on a resist mask that can simultaneously meet targets of small feature resolution, high sensitivity to EUV wavelength, and acceptable linewidth roughness. Unfor... » read more

EUV’s Future Looks Even Brighter


The rapidly increasing demand for advanced-node chips to support everything-AI is putting pressure on the industry's ability to meet demand. The need for cutting-edge semiconductors is accelerating in applications ranging from hyperscale data centers powering large language models to edge AI in smartphones, IoT devices, and autonomous systems. But manufacturing those chips relies heavily on ... » read more

More Than Meets The Eye: Trends In Lithography


Lithography, once the exclusive domain of artists and printmakers, also lies at the heart of integrated circuit (IC) production. The process of shining light on a substrate through a photomask to control exposure has been around since the 1960s and has been the key part of improving IC fabrication process resolution. At the time, the light sources used were in the human-visible spectrum, which ... » read more

Takeaways From The 2024 SPIE Photomask Technology + EUV Conference


In the autumn, I had the opportunity to attend the 2024 SPIE Photomask Technology and EUV Lithography conferences, collectively referred to as PUV or sometimes BACUS, the latter a reference to the event’s early association with the BACUS organization. This is a key annual event that brings together experts and professionals in photomask technology and EUV lithography. This year’s conference... » read more

Luminary Panel Sees Progress In EUV Pellicle Adoption As Critical For EUV


A significant focus of the 2024 SPIE Photomask and EUV conference was on EUV lithography and high-numerical-aperture (high-NA) EUV lithography, offering the potential to drive resolution to new heights. These EUV solutions bring new challenges such as pellicles, mask inspection, and smaller and smaller minimum mask dimensions. Progress has been impressive, according to lithography luminary Dr. ... » read more

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