When in doubt - BUY THEM ALL !!!!
AMD can't do this !
"Nikon has the upper hand in the account. The Japanese company has already installed its existing S305B line of 193-nm tools within Intel, according to sources.
Intel is also looking at Nikon's so-called fourth-generation, 193-nm scanner for 90-nm chip processing. Called the S306C, the recently-introduced system incorporates a 0.78 ultra-high NA lens.
Nikon's rival--ASML--has reportedly delivered its first 193-nm tool to Intel. Dubbed the AT:1100 , the recently-introduced 300-mm system is based on its Twinscan dual-stage platform. It incorporates lens from Germany's Carl Zeiss, which features an NA of 0.75.
Not to be outdone, Canon has reportedly shipped its existing FPA-5000AS2 line of 193-nm scanners to Intel. But earlier this week, the Japanese company rolled out a new scanner--dubbed FPA-5000AS3, which features an NA of 0.75. "
Paul
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ASML, Canon and Nikon vie for 193-nm lithography order at Intel
By Mark LaPedus, Semiconductor Business News
Dec 21, 2001 (1:32 PM)
URL: siliconstrategies.com
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- After a recent snafu with its incumbent supplier of 193-nm (argon-fluoride) lithography tools, Intel Corp. here has quietly shifted gears and taken delivery of advanced scanners from all major suppliers: ASML Holding N.V., Canon Inc. and Nikon Corp., according to sources in the industry.
Gearing up for its multi-million-dollar, 193-nm tool order for 200/300-mm IC processing, Intel has reportedly procured the first round of 193-nm scanners from one of its key tool suppliers--Nikon, sources said. The Japanese company may become the "primary" 193-nm tool vendor for Intel--at least initially, according to sources.
Sources believe that Intel has also taken delivery of competitive, 193-nm tools from ASML of the Netherlands and Canon of Japan. It reportedly appears that ASML may become Intel's "secondary" 193-nm tool supplier, but Canon is quietly gaining ground on its rivals in the huge account, according to sources.
Today, in fact, ASML announced it has delivered its first dual-stage, 193-nm lithography system for 300-mm wafer processing to an undisclosed company, of which sources believe is Intel.
While Intel has reportedly selected its initial 193-nm tool vendors, the chip giant also has a new and separate order in the works for a next-generation, 193-nm system with an ultra-high numerical-aperture (NA) of 0.85 or 0.9, sources said. For this huge, 193-nm tool order, Intel is said to be looking at ASML's Twinscan platform, Canon's new FPA-5000AS3 scanner, and Nikon's S306C model, sources believe.
Intel itself would prefer to use 193-nm tools from only two suppliers, but the company has not ruled out deploying scanners from all three vendors, especially given the complexity and cost of these machines. A 193-nm machine sells for as high as $20 million.
Officials from Intel declined to identify its lithography vendors, but confirmed that the company is evaluating all 193-nm scanners. "We're evaluating all suppliers," said Peter Silverman, director of lithography capital equipment development at Intel's Technology Manufacturing Engineering division, in an recent interview with SBN. "We would like to stay with two suppliers," Silverman said, "but there are opportunities for all three [vendors]."
Intel is scrambling for 193-nm tools--and for good reason. The company is using 248-nm tools from ASML's Silicon Valley Group (SVG) unit and Nikon to successfully process its 0.13-micron chips, but those scanners could soon run out of gas and are not expected to extend down to its next-generation, 90-nm (0.09-micron) process node.
The Santa Clara-based company is also in a race with microprocessor rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc. to develop chips at the 90-nm node and beyond. Intel hopes to develop its first 0.09-micron chips by early-2003 or sooner, the company said.
Unlike AMD--which for years has used ASML's tools--Intel has been forced to shift gears in terms of its lithography strategy. Intel was originally supposed to use 193-nm scanners from SVG to process its 0.13-micron chips, according to sources.
But SVG was unable to deliver the 193-nm tools to Intel. And plagued by chronic delays and a change of heart at Intel, SVG's Micrascan V 193-nm lithography system is being discontinued by ASML, which last month said it will converge all 193-nm wavelength tool offerings onto a single platform--the company's dual-stage Twinscan system (see Nov. 27 story ).
Meanwhile, Intel successfully extended its 248-nm tools to process its 0.13-micron chip--with no glitches. The SVG tool delays "did not impact us," Silverman said. Officials from Intel have repeatedly insisted that its 0.13-micron process is "healthy."
In any event, Intel's 193-nm tool business is up for grabs. At present, though, Nikon has the upper hand in the account. The Japanese company has already installed its existing S305B line of 193-nm tools within Intel, according to sources.
Intel is also looking at Nikon's so-called fourth-generation, 193-nm scanner for 90-nm chip processing. Called the S306C, the recently-introduced system incorporates a 0.78 ultra-high NA lens.
Nikon's rival--ASML--has reportedly delivered its first 193-nm tool to Intel. Dubbed the AT:1100 , the recently-introduced 300-mm system is based on its Twinscan dual-stage platform. It incorporates lens from Germany's Carl Zeiss, which features an NA of 0.75.
Not to be outdone, Canon has reportedly shipped its existing FPA-5000AS2 line of 193-nm scanners to Intel. But earlier this week, the Japanese company rolled out a new scanner--dubbed FPA-5000AS3, which features an NA of 0.75.
Copyright 2001 © CMP Media Inc. |
