Cooperation Helps to Advance SCALPEL
-- Semiconductor International, 3/1/1999
In an effort to accelerate progress toward
commercialization of SCALPEL electron beam lithography, Applied Materials and
ASM Lithography have expressed interest in supporting this Lucent, Bell Labs'
invention. The goal is to build a production-worthy manufacturing tool for
building future generations of silicon chips. Invented in 1989, SCALPEL was
recently endorsed by International SEMATECH as a potential successor to current
optical lithography methods for sub-90 nm design rules.
Bringing these two equipment companies on board combines expertise and resources to accelerate development of SCALPEL technology into a commercially viable system, said Bill Brinkman, Bell Labs physical sciences research vice president. 'This will be a tremendous breakthrough for semiconductor manufacturers building the next generations of powerful chips.'
An electron beam has a wavelength many times shorter than that of the ultraviolet light source used in today's lithography tools, and it has already demonstrated capability to pattern images well below 100 nm.
Several industry suppliers are working on providing the remaining two
critical components of the SCALPEL technology, the mask and resist. 
