New European Research Programme Evaluates Extreme UV Lithography.VELDHOVEN, The Netherlands--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 25, 1998-- Press release issued on behalf of ASM (1) (Association for Systems Management) An international membership organization based in Cleveland, Ohio. Founded in 1947 and disbanded in 1996, it sponsored conferences in all phases of administrative systems and management. Lithography Holding N.V. (Amsterdam Exchanges:ASML ASML Abstract State Machine Language ASML Anisotropic Shielded Microstrip Line )(Nasdaq/NMS:ASMLF), Carl Zeiss and Oxford Instruments Oxford Instruments plc is a United Kingdom manufacturing and research company operating in the fields of instrumentation, analysis, plasma processing, cryogenics and superconductivity. PLC (London Exchange:OXIG) A new European research programme, investigating Extreme Ultra-Violet Lithography (EUVL EUVL Extreme-Ultraviolet Lithography ) technology for IC manufacture in the semiconductor industry has recently been started by an industrial consortium headed by ASM Lithography (ASML), partnered by Carl Zeiss
Carl Zeiss (September 11, 1816 – December 3, 1888) was an optician commonly known for the company he founded, Zeiss. and Oxford Instruments. Partly funded by the European Commission European Commission, branch of the governing body of the European Union (EU) invested with executive and some legislative powers. Located in Brussels, Belgium, it was founded in 1967 when the three treaty organizations comprising what was then the European Community (ECU 10 Million) and operating within EUCLIDES (Extreme UV Concept Lithography Development System), a project in the fourth framework Esprit programme, the consortium is evaluating EUVL as a viable lithographic lith·o·graph n. A print produced by lithography. tr.v. lith·o·graphed, lith·o·graph·ing, lith·o·graphs To produce by lithography. solution for resolutions of 0.07 micron and below. This will lead to further projects on tool integration for EUVL. The European partnership draws on the complementary strengths of its three partners -- semiconductor equipment development and system integration (ASML), optics and fine mechanics (Carl Zeiss) and synchrotron synchrotron: see particle accelerator. synchrotron Cyclic particle accelerator in which the particle is confined to its orbit by a magnetic field. The strength of the magnetic field increases as the particle's momentum increases. source technology (Oxford Instruments). Focusing on R&D for optical design, mirror substrates, optics metrology, high-reflectivity multi-layer coatings and vacuum stages, the main goal is to demonstrate technical solutions to a number of potential EUVL showstoppers within EUCLIDES. The partners will perform a comparative study between plasma sources and synchrotron sources, and will also investigate total system architecture to ensure a viable system concept. This is where ASML's experience and expertise in realising cost-optimised leading-edge imaging systems will be a critical factor, to assess how EUVL developments can meet semiconductor industry requirements at an acceptable cost of ownership for volume manufacturing. As regards the optics work package, Carl Zeiss builds on its core competencies in developing and manufacturing highest-performance illumination and projection systems for state-of-the-art lithography tools. Advanced automated fabrication fabrication (fab´rikā´sh  n),n the construction or making of a restoration. and testing processes with proven volume capability will be further extended to meet EUVL specs. Aggressive technology roadmaps for the IC/IT industries require the availability of new lithographic solutions, bringing resolutions down to 0.07 micron and below. Next generation lithography techniques have the potential to realise the desired resolution for fabricating future IC generations and, among a number of solutions being promoted, EUV EUV Extreme Ultraviolet EUV Exclusive Use Vehicle EUV Extreme Ultra Violet lithography using a wavelength of 13 nanometer has a strong chance of emerging as the world standard for image projection. EUCLIDES incorporates aggressive technology development activities. Early results obtained by Fundamental Material Research Institute, a subcontractor of Carl Zeiss in the field of high-reflectivity multi-layer coatings, are already comparable to cutting-edge results demonstrated and published in other EUVL programmes. In the case of substrate fabrication, the latest testing carried out at Carl Zeiss even exceeds previously published results. EUCLIDES is itself only part of a more extensive European EUVL development programme. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA Sia (sī`ə) or Siaha (sī`əhə), in the Bible, family returned from the Exile. SIA - Serial Interface Adaptor ) roadmap released in 1997, the first ICs with 0.07 micron features are expected to be produced in 2009, requiring first delivery of (beta)-tools by 2006 and shipment of commercial tools by 2008. Against this background, EUCLIDES includes a strategy/development programme for tool integration and based on these results, a dedicated tool integration programme is scheduled to begin in the next 12 to 18 months. Clearly, such fundamental technology changes will require major investments in tool, mask, resist and metrology infrastructures and, according to a study conducted by Sematech, total investments to develop a new lithographic technology to the point of maturity can be as much as USD USD In currencies, this is the abbreviation for the U.S. Dollar. Notes: The currency market, also known as the Foreign Exchange market, is the largest financial market in the world, with a daily average volume of over US $1 trillion. 800 million. Therefore, the European partnership is seeking close collaboration with the USA EUV-LLC consortium, the first industry-driven programme established to investigate the potential and feasibility of EUVL, as well as the recently formed consortium in Japan. About the companies: ASM Lithography was founded in 1984 and is a world leader in the advanced photolithography systems essential to the fabrication of modern integrated circuits. The company now has an installed base of more than 1,000 systems at customer sites around the world. ASML had revenues of NLG NLG The ISO 4217 currency code for the Dutch Guilder. 1,803 million (USD 889 million) in 1997 and is recognized by Dataquest as the second largest supplier of wafer steppers and step & scan systems in the world. ASML is headquartered in Veldhoven, The Netherlands, with a U.S. operations center in Tempe, Arizona, and regional sales and service facilities in Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Singapore. Since March 1995 ASML has been publicly traded on both the Amsterdam Exchanges (ASML) and Nasdaq National Market System (ASMLF). For more information on ASML, visit the company's web site at http://www.asml.com. Carl Zeiss is an innovative technology leader in the fields of optics, precision engineering and electronic visualization. With the business units Consumer Optics, Industrial Metrology, Microscopy, Medical Systems, Semiconductor Technology and Opto-Electronic Systems the company made sales of DM 3.0 billion (about USD 1.9 billion) in fiscal year 1997/98. Carl Zeiss is headquartered in Oberkochen with some 15 production centers located in Germany and other countries. High-quality sales and service are provided through 40 sales companies in the major markets and over 100 agencies in the remaining countries worldwide. For more information on Carl Zeiss visit the company's web site at http://www.zeiss.de. Oxford Instruments is a technology leader in the field of Advanced Instrumentation. With Business areas of Medical systems, Superconductivity superconductivity, abnormally high electrical conductivity of certain substances. The phenomenon was discovered in 1911 by Kamerlingh Onnes, who found that the resistance of mercury dropped suddenly to zero at a temperature of about 4.2°K;. and Instrumentation the company made sales of GBP GBP In currencies, this is the abbreviation for the British Pound. Notes: The currency market, also known as the Foreign Exchange market, is the largest financial market in the world, with a daily average volume of over US $1 trillion. 200 Million in fiscal year 1997/98. Oxford Instruments is based in Oxford, United Kingdom but has several manufacturing sites world wide and operations in United States, Germany, France, Japan, Singapore and China. For more information on Oxford Instruments, visit the company's web site at htttp//www.oxford-instruments.com |
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