Progress of Excimer Laser Technologies

摘要

More than 1,000 units of KrF excimer laser steppers were already installed in semiconductor mass-production lines which require design rule of less than 0.15.m. Higher NA lens compatibility, productivity and CoO become critical issues of KrF excimer laser stepper. Advanced 2kHz KrF excimer laser G20K/G21K offers the solutions for these three issues. Next generation excimer laser ArF has already finished the stage of principle demonstration and has moved to next level of practical inspection, such as stability, productivity, and economic efficiency. Gigaphoton 4kHz ArF, G40A, solved all of these issues. Furthermore sub-0.10.m design rule region F_2 laser has been examined at several organizations. In March, 2000, Komatsu successfully developed 2kHz F_2 laser for catadioptric projection optics by the fund of NEDO. Gigaphoton is ready to fabricate G20F, 2kHz F2 laser, based upon the result of NEDO research. ASET started new F_2 laser lithography development program at Hiratsuka Research Center with collaboration of Nikon, Canon, Gigaphoton, Komatsu, and Ushio from April 2000, ending March 2002