Molecular Imprints,
Inc., the technology leader for high-resolution, low cost-of-ownership nanopatterning
systems and solutions in the hard disk drive (HDD) and semiconductor industries,
today announced that its innovative Jet and Flash Imprint Lithography (J-FIL)
nanopatterning solution continues to gain momentum in non-volatile memory (NVM)
markets, with the company progressing along its technology roadmap and realizing
key performance milestones.
An important deadline is approaching to make key decisions around selecting
a new lithography technology for high-volume, sub-32nm half-pitch semiconductor
lithography. In support of efforts to educate key decision makers about the
resolution and cost-of-ownership (CoO) advantages of J-FIL, Molecular Imprints
will participate in two key conferences where the relative merits of imprint
lithography and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) will be debated--at the Confab, a
global conference and business meeting for key decision makers on semiconductor
manufacturing; and at the SEMICON West Device Scaling TechXPOT. In addition,
Molecular Imprints will present on the adoption of J-FIL for patterned media
applications in hard disk drives (HDDs) at the DISKCON Japan conference.
"Industry opinions are becoming increasingly favorable for J-FIL adoption
in
the NVM manufacturing community, as key decision makers become aware of its
resolution and CoO advantages," said Ken Rygler, chief marketing officer
at
Molecular Imprints. "The accelerating progress around J-FIL is shifting
industry perceptions about the use of imprint lithography in semiconductor
production to the point where it is now considered to be an equally viable
alternative to EUV for sub-32nm patterning."
The ConFab (June 14-17, 2009, Las Vegas, Nev.)
At the ConFab, a global conference and business meeting where key decision
makers from the semiconductor industry meet to discuss wafer fab manufacturing
and economic issues, as well as collaborate on future strategic development
activities, Molecular Imprints will participate on the panel "Lithography
-
Imprint vs. EUV". Ben Eynon, vice president of semiconductor business
development for Molecular Imprints, will be joined by key representatives from
Intel, Nikon, Toshiba and Toppan Photomasks, to share their perspectives on
the capabilities, challenges and readiness of these two fundamentally
different lithographic approaches to meet future technology, affordability and
manufacturing requirements. The panel will take place during Session 3 on
Tuesday, June 16 from 8:45 to 10:15 a.m.
SEMICON West (July 14-16, 2009, San Francisco, Calif.)
At SEMICON West, Molecular Imprints will participate in the Lithography
Challenges and Solutions segment of the Device Scaling TechXPOT. The session
will focus on addressing the lithography issues around enabling volume IC
production at the 22nm node. Speakers from leading companies, including
Molecular Imprints, IBM, KLA-Tencor, Intel and Nikon, will detail the status
of J-FIL, EUV and double patterning, as well as address other pertinent
lithography infrastructure topics. Ben Eynon will discuss the coming adoption
of J-FIL in his presentation, "Nanoimprint: Affordable 22nm Lithography
Now?"
which will be given on Wednesday, July 15 from 2:30 to 2:50 p.m.
DISKCON Japan (July 21-22, 2009, Tokyo)
At the DISKCON Japan conference, Paul Hofemann, vice president of marketing
and business development for HDD and emerging markets, will discuss the
emergence of J-FIL as the advanced lithography technology of choice for the
HDD industry. Hofemann will also summarize the path for imprint lithography
adoption in patterned media volume manufacturing, as well as detail key
technology and infrastructure highlights. His presentation, "From Possible
to
Practical - The Evolution of Nanoimprint for Patterned Media," will be
given
on Tuesday, July 21 at 1:00 p.m.
The increased visibility of Molecular Imprints has resulted from heightened
development activity and system sales in both the semiconductor and HDD
markets. The company has sold 12 development and pre-production systems into
these markets over the past two years. This activity is expected to increase
through the second half of 2009 and into 2010 and beyond.