|
|
www.design-reuse-embedded.com |
ASML, IMEC to take EUV lithography to high-NA
By Peter Clarke , Oct. 30, 2018 –
The research agreement covers both the improvement of high-volume production with current systems and the development of future EUV systems using a high numerical aperture (NA) of 0.55. The two companies plan to establish a joint high-NA EUV research lab.
Research with the current NA of 0.33 will be based on the installation of an NXE:3400B, ASML's most advanced and high-volume production EUV scanner in IMEC's cleanroom at its wafer fab in Leuven.
With a 250W light source the NXE:3400B is capable of processing more than 125 wafers an hour, a throughput benchmark in commercial IC production. Other changes may include alignment and leveling sensors, to enable optimal process control and facilitate overlay matching to the immersion scanner NXT:2000i. In commercial fabs EUV lithography is used for critical layers while lower cost immersion scanners are used for the majority of wafer processing making precision alignment a key requirement.