FYI - there is a buzz on the message boards today about a revolutionary lithographic process. Apparently some believe it to be a hoax to spook the equipment sector. The article is reprinted below for those interested. We did a little checking and do not believe this is a blatant hoax but we also need to state it is our opinion that this is more theoretical then practical at this point in time. this may be nothing more than an idea looking for venture capital funding.
To that end, we are not particularly worried about the article and do not see it as a threat to the industry at the current time. We present the information as nothing more than a service and to minimize any negativity that might be permeating through the message boards.
April 25, 2000 11:17
Breakthrough Optical Lithography Tool For Sub-0.1 Micron Resolution
(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 25, 2000--A revolutionary optical lithography tool for patterning of semiconductor devices with feature sizes less than 0.1 micron resolution has been announced by Mulith Inc.
The tool is significantly less expensive than existing steppers and step-and scan systems from equipment manufacturers such as Silicon Valley Group Lithography (NasdaqNM:SVGI), Ultratech Stepper (NasdaqNM:UTEK), ASM Lithography (NasdaqNM:ASML), Nikon, and Canon, which are priced upwards of $6 million for sub-0.13 micron resolution at a wavelength of 193nm.
It completely eliminates the conventional optical systems of lenses, which cost about $1,000,000 per unit, and are available from companies such as Tropel, and excimer lasers from companies such as Cymer (NasdaqNM:CYMI), and Lambda Physik.
The ability to use optical lithography to sub 0.1 micron resolution eliminates the need for non-proven advanced technologies, such as extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV), X-ray lithography (XRL), electron projection lithography (EPL), and ion projection lithography (IPL), which are being endorsed by numerous equipment and semiconductor companies companies such as Lucent Technologies (NYSE:LU), Applied Materials (NasdaqNM:AMAT), Nikon, IBM (NYSE:IBM), Intel (NasdaqNM:INTC), Motorola (NYSE:MOT), AMD (NYSE:AMD), Infineon, Hitachi, and Toshiba
"With conventional lithographic tools on the market, the minimum feature size that can be printed is limited by the wavelength of light used," notes Greyson Gilson, President of Mulith Inc. "No such fundamental resolution limit exists for the new technology."
In addition, the new technology offers substantially improved depth of image field and image field size over conventional lithographic tools.
Eliminated also are the need for expensive resolution enhancement techniques (RET) used for optical extensions. These include off-axis illumination (OAI), phase shifting masks (PSM), and optical proximity correction (OPC), available from photomask suppliers such as Photronics (NasdaqNM:PLAB) and DuPont Photomasks (NasdaqNM:DPMI).
The technology is able to produce sub-0.1 micron resolution without the need for expensive DUV resists, which are still in the R&D stage, particularly 193nm resists. Using proven advanced I-line resist priced at $550/gal versus 248nm DUV resist at $1,400/gal further reduces cost of ownership of the system.
Mulith Inc. - April 25, 2000
Fundamentals of Reference Distribution Aerial Image Formation
Consider aerial image formation. Initially, light propagates away from a subject toward an imaging system. Subsequently, some of this light passes through the imaging system and forms an aerial image. The aerial image exists whether or not it is observed.
Ordinarily, aerial images of a subject are formed by using light that propagates from the subject alone. With by Mulith Inc.'s proprietary new reference distribution aerial image formation (abbreviated as RIF) technology, a distribution of light - a reference distribution - that is usually (but not necessarily) separated from the subject is introduced. An aerial image of both the subject and the reference distribution is formed.
With conventional aerial image formation technology (abbreviated as CIF), a minimum separation between two resolvable (distinguishable) points occurs. Accordingly, the separation of two points in an aerial image that can be produced by means of conventional optical microimagery is limited to a certain minimum distance known as the resolution limit for microimagery. This resolution limit is eliminated when RIF is used.
Light that ultimately forms an aerial image is distributed in a definite configuration at the subject. This configuration can be described mathematically as a sum of sine and cosine functions. Each sinusoidal (sine function or cosine function) component in this mathematical description of the configuration of light consists of a repeating pattern. The length of each pattern in the repetition is known as its spatial period; the number of spatial periods in a unit of distance within the pattern is known as its spatial frequency .
The distribution of light that exists at the subject propagates away from the subject as a type of wave motion. The propagating light waves can be decomposed into a superposition of plane waves each of which travels in a unique direction that is related to the spatial frequency associated with it. Thus, a definite angle exists between the direction of propagation associated with each plane wave component and the optical axis. A plane wave pair can be identified by recognizing that, for each plane wave that travels in the direction defined by a definite angle with the optical axis, another one associated with the same spatial frequency propagates in the direction defined by the negative of that angle.
End of excerpt. For the remainder of the paper (roughly 3 pages), we will be glad to send it to you.
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