Joe, re: Immersion at 45nm.
... But the key for Spansion is SP1, an automated fab that will be ramped up in stages.
Initially, SP1 will produce some 2,000 wafers per month. Total capacity for the first module is
15,000 to 20,000 wafers a month. When fully ramped, the fab could produce 30,000 to 40,000
wafers a month.
During the fab tour, the company noted it had purchased equipment from two lithography
vendors: ASML Holding NV and Canon Inc. ASML's TwinScan processes the critical layers of
Spansion's devices, while Canon gear handles the noncritical layers. ASML's tool is linked to a
wafer track system from Tokyo Electron Ltd.
Spansion also installed one of Applied Materials' Quantum ion implanters. But Applied
has since exited that business, prompting Spansion to procure machines from other,
undisclosed vendors.
A 193-nm immersion scanner from ASML is running at Spansion's Submicron
Development Center in Sunnyvale and will enable the flash vendor to develop devices at the 45-
nm node, Cambou said.
Spansion's NOR technology at the 45-nm process node, he said, will consist of only "four
critical layers," reducing lithography costs. That achievement, he believes, will turn up the heat
on the Intel-ST venture.
"They are not in a competitive position to fight us," Cambou said.
spansion.com
Just to add a tid bit on 32nm development:
Spansion, a leading Flash memory solutions provider, has selected
the new RF3S coat/develop track system from Sokudo Co., Ltd. to
develop 193nm immersion processes for its leading-edge 32nm Flash
devices. The RF3S system was delivered to Spansion's Submicron
Development Center (SDC) in Sunnyvale, CA, in late 2007.
"We have performed a thorough evaluation of available track tools
to support Spansion's second generation immersion lithography
technology and have selected the RF3S based on its exceptional
performance and competitive cost," said John Behnke, vice president of
Process Development and Transfer at Spansion. "This alliance
demonstrates the industry's growing need for early collaboration. The
close proximity of the SDC, which is the only full-flow 300mm
process/product development line in the Silicon Valley, to Sokudo's
development site at Applied Materials' Maydan Technology Center, will
serve to strengthen the effectiveness of our development teams. We
look forward to working together with Sokudo to develop our next
generations of world-class Flash technology to meet the expanding
needs and challenges of our customers."
Sokudo's RF3S system demonstrated less than 1.0nm, 3 sigma
critical dimension (CD) uniformity on 45nm features and immersion
defect density of less than 0.1 defects/cm2. Technologists from the
SDC and Sokudo will collaborate to fully optimize the performance of
the second generation immersion lithography cell to meet the increased
patterning and manufacturing challenges at the 32nm node and beyond.
The Spansion-Sokudo team will take advantage of the RF3S system's
integrated clean technology to take immersion lithography to the new
levels of defect control required for 32nm.
According to Takashige Suetake, CEO of Sokudo, "This agreement
will provide Sokudo with an opportunity to qualify our immersion
technology for leading flash memory applications. We are excited to be
working with Spansion and believe that this collaboration will help to
ensure that benchmark process and immersion defect control is
available for 32nm immersion processes."...
reuters.com
Regards,
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