Canon Introduces New 125 WPH KrF Scanner; FPA-5000ES2+ Improves 150nm Design Rule Productivity
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 24, 2000--Canon U.S.A. Inc. (Nasdaq:CANNY), Semiconductor Equipment Division, will be introducing a new high-throughput KrF scanner for the 150nm design rule during the SPIE Microlithography Symposium 2000 in Santa Clara, Calif., Feb. 29 through March 1.
Using a 2kHz excimer laser, the new Canon FPA-5000ES2+ scanner can expose 125 wafers per hour (200mm diameter).
"The ES2+ is our response to the growing demand from chipmakers for high productivity scanners with both 200mm and 300mm wafer capability," said Phillip Ware, director and general manager of marketing of the Canon USA Semiconductor Equipment Division. Canon has already received follow-up orders for the new FPA-5000ES2+ from Samsung and other major semiconductor companies for use in both 200mm production ramp and 300mm pilot fabs.
Ware said the FPA-5000ES2+, built on the field-proven Canon 5000 Series scanning platform, offers a 25% increase in throughput compared with its predecessor, the FPA-5000ES2. Canon began shipping its 200mm/300mm convertible 5000 Series platform in December 1998.
"The ES2 has received a remarkable market acceptance because of its superior lens performance, reliability and consistent scanning performance across the entire wafer," Ware says. "The ES2+ builds on the success of the earlier ES2 with platform improvements for better overlay accuracy and the productivity enhancement of a 2kHz laser." He said the FPA-5000ES2+ also incorporates further improvements to minimize lens distortion and reduce wavefront aberrations.
"With the enhanced ES2+, customers now can comfortably choose between a scanner or a stepper, depending on their circumstances," Ware said. (In 1999, Canon introduced the industry's highest NA (0.65) KrF stepper, the FPA-3000EX6, as a low cost DUV option for the 150nm technology node.) Ware noted that, for many leading chip makers, being able to get comparable image performance and productivity in either a scanner or a stepper from one vendor remains of major importance.
In addition to featuring the new FPA-5000ES2+ during the exhibit portion of the SPIE Microlithography Symposium 2000, Canon researchers and their joint development partners will also present technical papers on their progress in lens wavefront aberration reduction, 193nm tool development and IDEAL double exposure technology.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Canon was the first company to deliver 300mm-capable DUV and i-line tools. These tools, steppers, installed at International SEMATECH, SELETE, Semiconductor 300 and other locations in 1997 and 1998, are widely considered to have been technology enablers for today's 300mm development. The FPA-5000ES2 and ES2+ scanners borrow from this early work in 300mm lithography tool development.
Canon's Semiconductor Production Equipment Group, in Utsunomiya, Japan, is part of the company's Optical Products Operations. The Semiconductor Equipment Division of Canon U.S.A. Inc., based in San Jose, Calif., supplies step-and-repeat and step-and-scan photolithography tools for making integrated circuits including MR and GMR thin film heads for hard disk drives, and large active matrix liquid crystal flat panel displays.
Canon U.S.A. Inc. is an industry leader in professional and consumer imaging solutions and, through its parent company, Canon Inc., is a top patent-holder of imaging technologies. Canon employs 12,000 people at more than 30 facilities throughout North, Central and South America and the Caribbean.
Canon Inc., comprising all Canon Group operations, is a $24-billion company with 78,000 employees.. Its headquarters are in Tokyo, Japan, with approximately 80 sales companies, manufacturing companies and R&D centers, worldwide.
All referenced product names are trademarks of their respective owners.
CONTACT:
Canon U.S.A. Inc. Semiconductor Equipment Div.
Phillip M. Ware, 972/409-7800
pware@cusa.canon.com
or
Yuan Zhang, 972/409-7800
yuzhang@cusa.canon.com
usa.canon.com |
