ASML boosts immersion-lithography performance Raleigh NC

Targeting 38-nm-memory and 32-nm-logic-semiconductor high-volume manufacturing, lithography giant ASML Holding NV recently introduced its Twinscan XT:1950i lithography system. The device uses a 1.35-numerical-aperture lens, which the company claims increases the performance of its immersion-chip-lithography systems 25% by improving overlay, resolution, and throughput. ASML claims that the XT:1950i is the industry's first single-exposure immersion-lithography system for high-volume manufacturing at 38 nm, which makes 10% more wafer area available for chips over the company's previous-generation tool, the Twinscan XT:1900i.

Along with more wafer area, the XT:1950i allows a productivity increase of almost 15% with its throughput of 148 wafers per hour. To keep up with Moore's Law in a timely and cost-effective manner, the semiconductor industry requires high-throughput immersion lithography, says Martin van den Brink, executive vice president of marketing and technology for ASML. According to van den Brink, a reduction in size boosts memory capacities and multimedia applications for DRAM and flash, and this reduction drives advanced integration and improved performance for logic applications, such as computer chips and DSPs for portable devices.

Also, to increase the performance of its Twinscan XT:1700i and XT:1900i immersion systems, ASML plans to make upgrade packages available beginning in the first quarter of 2009. These packages will improve overlay by 14 and 17% and productivity by 4 and 7%, respectively. The XT:1950i has a 30% tighter overlay-accuracy specification and nearly 15% better productivity than the XT:1900i. The new device also has 5% better resolution, resulting in a 10% area increase for higher yield, better performance, or both. The Twinscan XT:1950i provides a 3.5-nm overlay capacity. ASML expects to begin shipping the XT:1950i by the first quarter of 2009.

ASML Holding NV, www.asml.com.