An interesting release for anyone interested.
ÿ Photronics, Inc., and Lucent Technologies to Explore Photomasks for SCALPEL E-Beam Wafer Lithography System
August 11, 1997 11:13 AM EDT
MURRAY HILL, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--August 11, 1997--Lucent Technologies and Photronics, Inc. have agreed to explore manufacturing issues involving masks for use in the Bell Labs SCALPEL(R) electron beam lithography program.
Utilizing the state-of-the-art manufacturing technology Photronics has in place to support advanced optical methods of semiconductor production, Photronics and Lucent Technologies will address the manufacture of silicon nitride membrane masks for use in the SCALPEL system. By employing available photomask manufacturing technology, Lucent expects to accelerate the commercialization of the SCALPEL system for use in semiconductor manufacturing.
The SCALPEL (Scattering with Angular Limitation in Projection Electron-beam Lithography) electron beam lithography system uses high-energy electrons, projected through a photomask, to create integrated circuit features just 0.08 microns wide - overcoming many of the limits placed on the semiconductor industry by current optical lithography production systems.
Sponsored in part by SEMATECH, the effort is one of several collaborative initiatives by the Austin-based semiconductor manufacturing research consortium to generate knowledge that will lead to an industry consensus on the next generation of lithography technology.
"This work with Photronics is a step toward mask production for SCALPEL systems," said Lloyd Harriott, head of the SCALPEL program at Bell Labs. "With tools from Integrated Solutions, Inc., blank wafers from Microelectronics Center of North Carolina (MCNC), mask technology developed with Photronics, and commercial resists, we're on track to demonstrate the viability of the SCALPEL e-beam lithography system as a production tool for the semiconductor industry."
Jack Moneta, senior vice president of planning and business development at Photronics, said, "We are very pleased to team up with Lucent Technologies on this exciting project. We believe that this program reflects our commitment to support the semiconductor industry, as well as our technological capabilities. The work will be done at our flagship facility in Allen, Texas."
Current chip manufacturing systems produce features as small as 0.35 and 0.25 microns; next-generation optical lithography systems promise to produce features at 0.18 and 0.13 microns. Unlike optical lithography systems, the SCALPEL system uses electron beams to expose patterns on a wafer's surface. Since an electron's wavelength is much smaller than that of ultraviolet light, it is possible to print smaller features using e-beams than using today's manufacturing technologies. At 0.08 microns, the SCALPEL systems leapfrogs several generations of design rules and promises continued development of ever-smaller, more powerful chips well into the 21st Century.
The SCALPEL electron beam lithography system, developed at Bell Labs, produced its first sub-tenth-micron features in June 1996. In December, 1996, Integrated Solutions, Inc., agreed to develop, market, manufacture and support systems based on SCALPEL technology licensed from Lucent Technologies. This spring, MCNC agreed to provide wafer blanks for SCALPEL systems. Commercial resists are use to etch the wafers produced with the SCALPEL system.
Photronics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAB) is a leading manufacturer of photomasks. A key element in the manufacture of semiconductors, photomasks are used to transfer circuit patterns onto semiconductor wafers during the fabrication of integrated circuits. They are products in accordance with circuit designs provided by customers at nine strategically located manufacturing facilities in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Texas, Korea, Singapore, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Photronics reported sales and earnings for the first half of fiscal 1997 of $89.1 million and $11.5 million, respectively. Additional information on the Company can be accessed at www.photronics.com or by calling Corporate Communications at (203) 775-9000.
Lucent Technologies (NYSE:LU), which designs, builds, and delivers a wide range of public and private networks, communications systems and software, consumer and business telephone systems and microelectronics components. Bell Labs is the research and development arm of the company.
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Andrew |
