Intel, Corning Ink JDA for EUV Masks
Online Staff -- EDN, July 6, 2005
Intel Corp. and Corning Inc. have joined forces to develop ultra low thermal expansion, ULE glass-based photomask substrates required for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography technology.
The substrates are needed to develop low defect EUV photomasks to enable 32nm node high-volume production using EUV lithography, the two companies said.
"Driving down EUV photomask defect levels is a critical issue for the commercialization of EUV technology. Corning and Intel plan to address the mask substrate contribution to this issue," Janice Golda, Intel's director of lithography, said in a statement. "The development of higher-quality EUV masks, along with Intel's related efforts in light sources, lithography equipment and new photo resists, will help create the infrastructure needed to position EUV lithography as the key technology for the future."
Intel, the world's largest chipmaker and one of the few left with its own captive photomask production shop, has been the staunchest single proponent of EUV technology; it has said it intends to use dry 193nm lithography down to the 45nm node, and then switch to EUV litho at the 32nm node at the end of the decade.
"Corning has a rich history of developing innovative products and our extensive optical materials and process knowledge have positioned the ULE product as the optimal material for EUV photomask substrates," Jim Steiner, VP and GM of Corning Specialty Materials, said in a statement. "The cooperative efforts of Corning and Intel will provide the opportunity to develop ULE glass substrates and position them as the material of choice for EUV photomasks," he added.
ULE is a proprietary Corning glass material.
