Next-generation litho approaches questioned
By Will Wade
EE Times
(03/02/00, 8:19 p.m. EST)
SANTA CLARA, Calif.?While several major programs continue to plunge investments into developing next-generation lithography technology, clever modifications are keeping the current optical litho approach viable. And with some recent lab efforts using optical equipment to produce chips with linewidths as small as 0.05 microns, some analysts are questioning whether any of the next-generation lithography technology will ever be used in a high-volume fab.
"There are lots of technologies that can be used to extend optical lithography," said Klaus Rinnen, principal analyst for Dataquest (San Jose). "It is our feeling that next-generation lithography as we know it?including electron beam, X-ray, and EUV?is not likely to become prevalent in mainstream silicon semiconductor manufacturing."
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In the end, the decision on which technology to implement will be based both on cost and technical capabilities. "The technology that is most extendible has the highest chance to be implemented into mainstream manufacturing," said Rinnen. "But price will be an important factor." And if the claims of ASML and NumeriTech?that their OPC and phase shifting technology can scale well below 0.10 microns?can be relied upon, that will allow optical to go head-to-head with both electron beam and EUV systems.
"The industry needs a safety net, a variety of technologies to ensure that the most cost-effective approach is used in manufacturing," Rinnen said. "If one of the next-generation approaches become cost-effective, including the cost to change the manufacturing infrastructure, it could become a mainstream technology. But at this time we believe that optical lithography will take silicon semiconductor manufacturing to its end game."
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