Nikon to roll e-beam system for less than 100-nm circuits (it doesn't look like a production system b/c of low throughput)
eetimes.com
By David Lammers
EE Times
(01/25/99, 6:28 p.m. EDT)
TOKYO - Nikon Inc. has developed an e-beam lithography system for ICs
with 100-nanometer and smaller line widths. The company is expected to
announce the system Tuesday (1/26) in Japan.
According to EE Times sources, Nikon worked with IBM Corp., which
developed the underlying e-beam technology for use at its Burlington, Vt.
mask shop.
While IBM is continuing to develop the mask-making technology required for
X-ray lithography, the company worked with Nikon to expand the range of
process possibilities for the time when optical lithography can no longer be
extended.
While Sematech has decided to work on two next-generation lithography
systems,-- the extreme UV (EUV) technology being supported by Intel,
AMD, Motorola, and others, as well as the Scalpel system being developed
at Bell Labs,-- companies are free to develop alternatives. IBM is a member
of Sematech.
Direct-write e-beam has the advantage of not requiring masks, however,
throughput has been cited as one reason why the technology may not be
practical on the factory floor.
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