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Technology Stocks : ASML Holding NV -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: niek who wrote (1307)	12/5/2006 10:54:57 AM
From: niek	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 43529

TEL and ASML extend joint-development program to immersion, double patterning The Semiconductor Reporter December 5, 2006 TOKYO -- Tokyo Electron Ltd. and ASML Holding NV today announced plans to work together to evaluate their most advanced tools and engage in long-term joint development programs. Under the agreement, TEL will deliver the company's resist coater/developer, Clean Track Lithius, to ASML Veldhoven. TEL's Lithius and ASML's Twinscan XT:1900i will be paired for joint development, which is scheduled to start in early 2007. Since 2004, the two companies have exchanged equipment and shared evaluation facilities with the goals of developing next-generation technologies and improving litho cluster productivity. Under this new agreement, TEL and ASML will collaborate to optimize equipment performance for R&D and high-volume production for 45-nm and future technology node processes. In early 2007 at ASML Veldhoven, joint development will commence with work on reducing defects and improving critical dimension uniformity for 45-nm node mass production immersion argon fluoride (193-nm) processes. For increased productivity, the two companies will work on litho cluster optimization to achieve throughputs of 180 wafers per hour and higher. The joint effort will also include double patterning process research and development, an application that is being considered as a candidate for next-generation patterning technology. "Technological innovation has made the collaborative efforts between exposure equipment manufacturers and coater/developer manufacturers essential for achieving success in our industry," said Hikaru Ito, general manager of TEL's Clean Track Business Unit. "I am confident that the long-term joint development system with ASML in advanced technology will enable us to meet our customers' future requirements." "Current lithography technologies, such as immersion and double patterning, require greater synergy between scanner and track systems than ever before," said Martin van den Brink, executive vice president for marketing and technology at ASML. "ASML looks forward to continuing collaboration with TEL under this agreement to develop solutions that will meet our customers' needs."