>>Although TI is working with 193nm, you are correct as it is not
yet in production. It's working with the next generation c6x and
drams. I know .18 dram prototypes are being evaluated at IBM, strongly
suggesting 193nm processing. The below is from the Cymer web site.
I apologize to all for the mis-communication. Also, X-ray being
attractive from my point of view was not suggesting it to be the
next generation. Most likely ebeam. CYMI abstract below.<<
Please be aware, though, that there is a lot of debate in the semiconductor industry about all things concerning advanced lithography. No one is yet sure which solution will offer the best price/performance at any given generation. The longer chip makers can delay the transition to 193 nm (or x-ray or e-beam for that matter), the happier they will be. (That's one reason why phase shift masks are such a big deal--they let you print smaller features with a given wavelength.) And never underestimate the cleverness of lithographers--optical lithography's demise has been "imminent" for at least 15-20 years.
For those interested in a more detailed discussion of the issues, relevant references include:
news.semiconductoronline.com
spie.org
Or, in print, my article, "Issues in advanced lithography," Solid State Technology, May 1997, and the references it cites.
(Sorry about the self-promotion. I can lay my hands on things I wrote much more quickly than things I've read.)
Katherine |
