Sematech, TOK to develop resists for 22-nm patterning
Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co joins Sematech's team of researchers at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, adding 22-nm patterning technologies expertise.
By Gail Flower, Contributing Editor -- EDN, April 30, 2009
Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co ( TOK) has joined Sematech’s Resist Materials and Development Center (RMDC ) at CNSE (College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering) at the University at Albany, NY.
As early as last February, Sematech signed a letter of intent with TOK to develop resists for 22-nm patterning technologies and beyond, and now it has officially happened.
RMDC’s mission -- to develop resists and materials for 22-nm patterning technologies -- includes both EUV (extreme ultraviolet) exposure capability and other sponsored university research programs. TOK will team up with researchers at Sematech to demonstrate EUV materials and resists for use at the 22-nm node and beyond, according to the companies.
“We are pleased to welcome TOK as a member, and we are confident this collaboration will help us build upon the excellent work that Sematech’s lithography researchers have undertaken to drive the development of resist and materials that are critical for continued progress in manufacturing,” said John Warlaumont, VP of advanced technologies at Sematech, in a statement.
Key challenges for EUV include resolution, line-width roughness, and pattern collapse in advanced imaging. TOK focuses on semiconductor photoresists, LCD photoresists, dielectric materials, and processing equipment for semiconductors and LCDs.
At the RMDC, resist and materials suppliers can use Sematech’s two-micro-exposure tools located the CNSE and can participate in cooperative research with other member companies.
Research at CSNE is burgeoning. Just last month CSNE Albany’s NanoComplex announced a $150 million expansion, which included two new buildings, one with a Class 1 cleanroom.
Sematech has also been busy expanding. Earlier this month Atotech announced it had joined Sematech’s 3D interconnection program at CNSE with the intent of supplying expertise in supplying high-yield, low-cost copper electroplating for void-free filling of 3D TSVs (through-silicon vias) for interconnecting stacked die in dense electronic component packages. Sematech’s 3D program at CNSE also recently added Rudolph Technologies to focus on process characterization for improving basic process control in the manufacture of 3D ICs, concentrating on the TSV inspection aspect.
Yoichi Nakamura, TOK’s president and CEO, emphasized TOK’s intent to focus on research and development of new technology and new products and sales of high-value-added products. In new business areas, “the company will try to promote sales of both materials and equipment related to through-silicon vias forming system … and concentrate on research and development in fields that may become the core businesses of products … in the future,” Nakamura said in the statement.
TSVs were not announced as part of the TOK collaboration with Sematech at CNSE, but the challenge of EUV presents another technological breakthrough. It is generally agreed that EUV lithography will eventually replace optical lithography, but the opinion that many hold is that EUV is not likely to be ready for mass production until 2012.
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Is TOK or anyone developing e-beam resists?
looking - 2009-1-5 02:52:00 PDT -
EUV will be next 157. It is unlikely to be used for 11 nm or possibly even 16 nm. The reflecting angles become too large.
catadioptrician - 2009-30-4 08:30:00 PDT -
Message is EUV can't do 22 nm (yet)
takeaway - 2009-30-4 08:16:00 PDT
