EUVL Mask Infrastructure Partnership
After a long run, optical lithography is unlikely to be able to pattern chips beyond the 22 nm technology generation and extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL)—with a wavelength of only 13.5 nm—is now widely considered the best replacement for optical lithography.
Since 2003, however, the semiconductor industry has ranked defect-free EUV masks among its top three technical issues. EUV masks used for sub-22 nm patterning must be free of printing defects and current metrology tools are generally ineffective at finding defects below 32 nm.
Critical industry need
Producing the tools required to address this gap in infrastructure is far too costly for any single company or industry sector to develop independently, and will require collaborative innovations that address both technology and business needs across multiple industry segments.
At the request of the industry, SEMATECH began pursuing a consortial solution for the required metrology infrastructure and in 2010 launched the EUVL Mask Infrastructure (EMI) Partnership, a new global consortium of mask and chip-makers, mask blank suppliers, consortia, and regional governments whose mission is to develop the metrology tools needed for detecting defects in advanced EUVL masks.
The right partners delivering the right solution
SEMATECH's ability to bring together the right partners from across the entire industry is crucial to sustaining the EUV technology roadmap advances.
The EMI Partnership will will address this critical metrology gap in phases by funding the development of three metrology tools which are expected to enable defect-free EUVL masks for high-volume manufacturing by 2013.
This ambitious program will work to:
- Enable an enhanced EUV mask blank inspection capability by 2011
- Develop an aerial imaging metrology system for EUV in 2014
- Produce an EUV mask pattern inspection tool able to work at 16 nm by 2015
SEMATECH will facilitate consensus-building among the EMI partners, providing crucial data and a discussion forum for reaching conclusive agreements in time to reach these goals.
Become an EMI Partner
EMI partners benefit from the program through their direct involvement in shaping the development of this critical infrastructure, and the opportunity to capitalize on early access to this breakthrough technology.
The EMI Partnership is open to mask and chip-makers, mask blank suppliers, consortia, and regional governments who want to ensure the availability of cost-effective, manufacturable EUV solutions.
To find out more about how your company or organization can participate in the EMI Partnership, please contact mark.sheedy@sematech.org.
