ITRS roadmap extends optical litho; pushes out EUV to 2013
Mark LaPedus
01/22/2004 11:10 AM EST
SAN JOSE--The sudden shift towards a new, three-year process technology cycle for semiconductors as defined by the IC industry is expected to cause some confusion in the marketplace, especially in the lithography world, according to analysts.
It is also expected to bring a sigh of relief for lithography vendors, which are already under extreme pressure to devise a raft of costly technologies on a breakneck, two-year cycle. A three-year cycle, for example, extends traditional optical lithography and allows more breathing room for vendors to develop newfangled immersion technologies, as well as 157-nm lithography tools.
But the new, three-year cycle also pushes out extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology to the 32-nm node, which is not slated until 2013, according to the recently released 2003 edition of the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS). Under the previous ITRS roadmap, EUV was slated for the 32-nm node in 2009, it was noted.
As reported on Silicon Strategies Wednesday, the ITRS roadmap is about to return to a three-year process technology cycle. Previously, the ITRS roadmap called for a two-year cycle, with chips based on the 90-nm node due out in the 2003 time frame. The next process technology nodes would then follow a two-year cycle, according to analysts.
Now, under the new ITRS roadmap, the so-called "year of production" for the 90-nm node is set for 2004. The "year of production" for the 65-nm node has been extended from 2005 to 2007, while the 45-nm node has been pushed out from 2007 to 2010, according to the ITRS roadmap.
The 32-nm node has been extended from 2009 to 2013, while the 22-nm node has been pushed out from 2011 to 2016. The new 16-nm node is due in 2019 ( see January 21 story ).
Meanwhile, it appears that the lithography options for the corresponding nodes have not changed from the last ITRS roadmap update. But by virtue of a three-year cycle, several technologies appear to be pushed out, including EUV.
For the 90-nm node, which is due in 2004, the ITRS roadmap calls for 193-nm lithography tools, plus resolution enhancement techniques (RETs) for the critical layers, as the first option.
For the 65-nm node, which is due in 2007, the ITRS roadmap calls for 193-nm tools, plus RETs, as the first option. The node also calls for 157-nm lithography tools, 193-nm immersion, and electron projection lithography (EPL).
The new roadmap, in theory, allows vendors more time to devise and bring out newfangled immersion tools for the 65-nm node. Most lithography vendors were targeting these systems for the 2006 or 2007 time frame, but it was unclear if the tools would be ready for the previously scheduled 65-nm node in 2005.
For the 45-nm node, which is due in 2010, the ITRS roadmap calls for 157-nm tools as the first option. The node also calls for 193-nm immersion, EPL, and maskless lithography.
For the 32-nm node, which is due in 2013, the ITRS roadmap calls for EUV as the first option. The node also calls for 157-nm immersion, EPL, imprint and maskless lithography.
Previously, EUV was slated for 2009. Intel Corp., for one, is expecting EUV tools from its suppliers by that time. Just how the new ITRS roadmap will impact the market is unclear right now. Still, in order to get the 32-nm node in production, EUV must be perfected by the end of the decade.
For the 22-nm node, which is due in 2016, the ITRS roadmap calls for EUV and EUV as the first options. The node also calls for imprint and maskless lithography. Meanwhile, for the 16-nm node, which is due in 2019, the ITRS roadmap calls for maskless and EUV with RETs as the possible options. |
