Canon Introduces Fastest-Yet KrF and ArF Scanners On New Lithography Platform Designed for Future Optical Generations.

Business Editors/Technology Writers

SEMICON West 2002

Canon Inc. (NYSE: CAJ)

New 300-mm Ready Exposure Systems Have Ultra-low Aberration Optics, Overlay Accuracy Of 18nm Or Below, Industry's Fastest Stage Speeds And

12-inch Wafer Throughput Up To 140WPH 

Canon Inc. (NYSE: CAJ) has announced two very-high throughput microlithography scanners for use by semiconductor chip manufacturers that are moving processes to 110- and 90-nanometer nodes.

Canon built both scanners -- one for a KrF and the other an ArF illumination source -- on its new 300mm-ready FPA-6000 single-stage platform that was designed to support its initial F2 scanner models.

The Canon FPA-6000ES5, a KrF (248nm) scanner equipped with an 0.80-NA ultra-low aberration 4:1 reduction lens system, can project IC features as small 110nm. The ArF model FPA-6000AS4 scanner has a 0.85-NA, 4:1 reduction lens system that incorporates CaF2 materials along with Canon's proprietary wave-front engineer process to achieve ultra-low aberrations. Used in tandem with a dual chamber 193nm light source, the FPA-6000AS4 can project features as small as 85nm.

Both models allow a wide range of illumination modes, have highly intuitive graphical user interface software, and incorporate 300-mm production line automation features, including reticle SMIF and a double-handed reticle-handling robot.

The two new scanners, along with the Canon FPA-5500iZ i-line stepper that also projects a 26mm x 33mm image field, provide a cost-optimized solution for high volume 300mm exposure processes using ArF, KrF and i-line. All three models can be configured for 200mm.

The 6000 Platform features a space-efficient single stage design with the industry's fastest synchronized wafer scan speed --500mm per second. Even at 140 percent faster scan rates than previous (FPA-5000) platform stages, synchronization accuracy moving average for the FPA-6000 platform has been reduced by two-thirds, and standard deviation reduced by one-half.

"What we have in the FPA-6000 platform is a close integration of two ultra-technologies," said Takeshi Sekiguchi, deputy chief executive, Optical Products Operations, Canon Inc. "While optical lithography continues to make amazing progress in projection lens and enhancement systems, there has to be an equal mastery of mechanical forces. Our engineers took on the entire host of outside factors that impact the overlay budget."

Mr. Sekiguchi added that the FPA-6000 reticle and wafer stages, which both move simultaneously during exposure, are inertially counter-balanced to eliminate system vibration. New and improved isolation methods almost completely mitigate external vibration forces. Extremely sensitive sensors and control systems substantially eliminate image degradation induced by thermal, pressure, or humidity.

Canon will provide both continuous and live presentations of the FPA-6000 platform and the two new scanner models at its booth at SEMICON West, July 22-24, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

Canon U.S.A., Inc. delivers consumer, business-to-business, and industrial imaging solutions. In 2001, the Company was listed as one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies in America, and was ranked No. 41 on the BusinessWeek list of "Top 100 Brands." Its parent company Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ) is a top patent-holder of technology, ranking third overall in the U.S. in 2001, with global revenues of $26 billion. Canon U.S.A. employs approximately 11,000 people at over 30 locations. For more information, visit www.usa.canon.com.

All referenced product names are trademarks of their respective owners.

Canon U.S.A. Web site: http://www.usa.canon.com/steppers