Infrastructure Steps Closer to EUV Lithography

摘要

The latest update of the Interna-tional Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) lists several difficult challenges for lithography below the 45 nm node. The fact that several of those challenges are specific to extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography says two things: 1) There's a strong assumption that EUV lithography will be the exposure tool of choice for critical layers at the 32 nm node; and 2) it's not going to be easy to get it ready on time. Working exposure systems won't amount to a hill of photons if the masks, sources and resists aren't ready for EUV's introduction. Despite the technical challenges, economics promises to be the toughest test.