First International Symposium on Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography Hosted by ISMT Opens Way for Commercialization.

Business Editors & High-Tech Writers

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 23, 2002

Global Experts Agree on Progress, Critical Issues in EUV

More than 300 leading lithography experts who gathered at the first International Symposium on Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUV) heard ample evidence that EUV technology is well on its way to commercialization.

"EUV will happen. There is a lot of work to do, but all the key issues are currently being addressed and will ultimately be resolved," said Kevin Kemp, EUVL program manager at International SEMATECH (ISMT) and general chair of the Symposium. "We are very optimistic about the international commitment to developing EUV technology."

The symposium was held Oct. 15-17, 2002 in Dallas, Texas in conjunction with ISMT, MEDEA+ (Micro-Electronics for European Applications) and ASET (Association of Super-advanced Electronics Technology, Japan). Regional presentations at the 2-1/2 day symposium, with attendees from North America, South America, Asia, and Europe, suggested that progress in EUV is accelerating at a similar pace throughout the world. For example:

-- More than 50 organizations in North America are conducting research and development in EUV, reported Chuck Gwyn of Intel Corp. In the U.S. alone, he said, four companies are involved in addressing source issues; 15 in optics and metrology; four companies in multiplayer; and five companies in mask blanks and mask patterning. What's more, he noted, two SEMI standards for EUV masks have already been approved. Four privately funded consortia are performing R & D and coordinating work with commercial companies.

-- In Europe, MEDEA+ is conducting some 36 projects in Technology and Applications, and 25 percent of the program is related to EUV technology, said Rob Hartman, chair of the MEDEA+ Cluster Steering Council. MEDEA+ is coordinating developments in EUV tools, source, mask and imaging in Europe, said Hartman. He also noted that a global consortium of EUV related entities is benchmarking EUV progress globally.

-- The Japanese government is promoting efforts to develop EUVL technology among Japanese companies, said Prof. Yasuhiro Horiike of the University of Tokyo, and coordinator of the Japanese EUV programs, including ASET, EUVA (Extreme Ultraviolet Association) and MIRAI. He also said that a beta EUV exposure tool will be available in Japan by 2005. He noted that Korea has also initiated an EUVL effort through a development consortium.

"The symposium created a complete snapshot of the state of our industry. We can now move forward to commercialization of EUV in time for insertion at the 45 nm node," said Shinji Okazaki, Director of ASET's EUV Process Technology Research Department.

Added Hartman, of MEDEA+, "The experts agree that the solutions for improving and advancing Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography into future semiconductor production is within our grasp. Continued global cooperation will get us to our goal."

At the conclusion of the meeting, selected participants from the industry voted on the key critical issues facing the industry over the next year along with their corresponding timelines. The ten critical areas, in order of priority, are:

-- Source output power

-- Defect-free multilayer mask blank manufacturing

-- Source and condenser optics/reliability

-- Cost of ownership of EUV lithography

-- Defect-free patterned mask manufacturing and commercial

availability

-- Reticle defect protection

-- Effective contamination control of optical path

-- High NA optics manufacturing

-- Thermal management for reticle and projection optics at high

throughput

-- Simultaneously achieving resolution, sensitivity, line edge

roughness and low outgassing for commercial EUV photo resists

The second International EUVL Symposium will be held Sept. 30 - Oct. 2, 2003 in Antwerp, Belgium.

International SEMATECH (ISMT) is a global semiconductor technology development consortium that has effectively represented the semiconductor manufacturing industry on innovation issues since 1988; its members are Agere Systems, AMD, Hewlett-Packard, Hynix, IBM, Infineon, Intel, Motorola, Philips, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments and TSMC. ISMT conducts state-of-the-art research, and is a highly regarded technology partner whose mission is to promote the interests common to all chipmakers. It has extensive experience collaborating with equipment and materials suppliers, as well as government and academic research centers, to refine the tools and technology necessary to produce future generations of chips. Additional information may be found at www.sematech.org.

The eight-year MEDEA+ program (2001 - 2008) channels private and public funding into microelectronics research & development projects among European semiconductor manufacturers, their suppliers, system companies and design houses, private research institutes and the academic world. This co-operation helps participants to share know-how and speed-up projects, reducing costs and the big associated with high-tech R&D.

ASET, which has 47 member companies, works with government and academia to increase the overall strength of the semiconductor, equipment and related industries. As a technological research organization supported by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry  (METI) research fund through the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), ASET promotes development of common fundamental technologies for semiconductors. The research work includes lithography, processing, material, packaging, and environmental and smart fab technologies.