Mapper Demos Massively Parallel E-Beam Lithography
Staff -- Semiconductor International, 9/13/2007 11:09:00 AM
Mapper Lithography BV (Delft, Netherlands) said it has reached a milestone demonstration of massively parallel electron-beam lithography, writing 45 nm dense patterns with its demonstrator machine. The 45 nm lines and spaces correspond to the lithography needs of the 32 nm logic generation coming to production in several years.
The Dutch company said the demonstration is the first time multiple parallel electron beams have been used in a maskless form of lithography. The company said its machine is based on two technological breakthroughs: the use of light to individually switch the electron beams, and the use of MEMS lens arrays to accurately focus the parallel electron beams.
In a statement, Burn Lin, senior director of the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC) lithography division, said, “This achievement is a significant breakthrough. This proves the multi-beam resolution capability of Mapper’s low-voltage approach. We will continue to explore the viability of using Mapper’s technology for our advanced manufacturing processes.”
Boudewijn Baud, Mapper’s CEO, said the company will now focus on transferring the technology to a 300 mm platform. “For that purpose, we will significantly expand the team.”
Mapper, located near the Delft University of Technology, employs ~100 people. Shareholders include Delft University of Technology and a variety of venture capital firms and private investors.
