ASML has signed a deal with Tokyo Electron to jointly promote ArF immersion and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) development activities utilizing advanced lithography cluster. Through this strategy of dual technology leadership, the two companies are planning to expand their products suitable for sub 20 nm node process technologies.
This deal has been signed to fulfill the ever-increasing demand for advanced systems capable of producing future-generation chips such as extended ArF immersion, a main technology for producing important layers of sophisticated chips and EUV technology, a mainstream lithography solution for 22 nm and above. According to the deal, ASML and Tokyo Electron will install devices at their corresponding facilities located in Veldhoven, the Netherlands, and Kumamoto, Japan, to develop, analyze and demonstrate sophisticated lithography technologies.
In the past several years, ASML and Tokyo Electron have conducted joint research on EUV fundamentals and customer demonstrations of early EUV. Besides these efforts, Tokyo Electron will launch its highly sophisticated EUV coater/ developer at ASML’s Veldhoven-based research and development facility. The two companies will jointly develop EUV process for sub 22 nm process nodes by the end of fiscal year 2012, with focus on critical factors such as reducing pattern collapse, controlling imperfections, decreasing line width roughness and enhancing CD uniformity.
To advance immersion lithography technology, ASML and Tokyo Electron will develop and verify sophisticated processes on Tokyo Electron’s coaters or developers and ASML’s 1.35 NA immersion scanners at Kumamoto Koshi facilities of Tokyo Electron along with their current combined immersion process development at Veldhoven facilities of ASML. The joint development work is aimed at increasing productivity above 4,000 wafers per day.
Source: http://www.tel.com