TSMC Verifies Fully Functional 90 Nanometer Chips Using Immersion Lithography Tools
December 22, 2004
Findings Suggests Immersion is Nearly Ready For Production
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, said that it used immersion lithography tools to produce fully functional 90nm devices. The finding was presented in a keynote speech at the Cymer Lithography Symposium in Semicon Japan on December 1, predating a similar announcement.
TSMC's circuits represent the first data that immersion-based lithography systems are nearing production-ready status.
Dr. Burn J. Lin, senior director of TSMC's micropatterning division, reported in the December keynote speech that TSMC had fabricated electrically functioning 90nm SRAM chips using a 90nm-node-capable prototype immersion scanner from ASML. The wafer batch was split at ASML for both immersion and dry exposures at critical layer before metal. After developing the resist image, the wafers were sent back to TSMC to complete the fabrication steps.
Yield, device characteristics and defect levels were comparable for both dry and wet scanners. The yield-related depth of focus of the immersion scanner is almost twice that of the dry scanner.
"While some optimization may still be in order, we have promising results pointing to immersion lithography systems and tools capable of producing functional deep-submicron devices that will scale well below the 90nm node," said Dr. Lin. "The larger focal range is the most significant finding, because it suggests that immersion tools can safely image with better yield than previously anticipated. This finding can be extrapolated to infer even greater benefits at the 65nm node."
TSMC estimates that immersion lithography tools may be called upon for 65nm production and are the chosen candidates for 45nm production. TSMC began installing its first 65nm immersion lithography system in early November this year.
-
IMEC reports major progress in EUV
Jul 14, 2008 |
not rated yet |
1
-
IMEC advancing state-of-the-art in FinFETs
Jun 13, 2007 |
5 / 5 (3) |
0
-
Hynix joins IMEC's (sub-)32nm CMOS research platform
May 24, 2007 |
3.3 / 5 (3) |
0
-
Improved Materials Dominate Chip Evolution
Nov 03, 2005 |
3.8 / 5 (4) |
0
-
TSMC Unveils Nexsys 65nm Process Technology Plans
May 03, 2005 |
2 / 5 (1) |
0
-
Engineers build first sub-10-nm carbon nanotube transistor
Feb 01, 2012 |
4.9 / 5 (31) |
30
-
Something old, something new: Evolution and the structural divergence of duplicate genes
Jan 31, 2012 |
4.6 / 5 (7) |
1
-
The hidden nanoworld of ice crystals: Revealing the dynamic behavior of quasi-liquid layers
Jan 30, 2012 |
5 / 5 (3) |
1
-
Stock market network reveals investor clustering
Jan 27, 2012 |
3.9 / 5 (23) |
8
-
Of microchemistry and molecules: Electronic microfluidic device synthesizes biocompatible probes
Jan 26, 2012 |
5 / 5 (1) |
0
More news stories
Walney offshore wind farm is world's biggest (for now)
(PhysOrg.com) -- The Walney wind farm on the Irish Sea--characterized by high tides, waves and windy weather--officially opened this week. The farm is treated in the press as a very big deal as the Walney ...
GPS court ruling leaves US phone tracking unclear
A US Supreme Court decision requiring a warrant to place a GPS device on the car of a criminal suspect leaves unresolved the bigger issue of police tracking using mobile phones, legal experts say.
2 hours ago |
4 / 5 (1) |
0
Anonymous briefly knocks CIA website offline (Update 2)
The website of the Central Intelligence Agency was briefly inaccessible on Friday after the hacker group Anonymous claimed to have knocked it offline.
19 hours ago |
4.7 / 5 (14) |
24
Netflix settlement trims 14 pct off 4Q earnings
(AP) -- Netflix pressed the rewind button on its fourth-quarter earnings after settling allegations that the video subscription service violated a consumer-privacy law.
2 hours ago |
not rated yet |
0
Google users warned of threat to smartphone wallets
Users of Google smartphone wallets were being warned on Friday that there is a way to crack pass codes intended to thwart thieves from going on illicit shopping sprees.
18 hours ago |
5 / 5 (3) |
0
Study finds that anti-diabetic medication can prevent the long-term effects of maternal obesity
In a study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting, in Dallas, Texas, researchers will report findings that show that short therapy with the anti-diabetic medication ...
Europe stakes billion-dollar bet on new rocket
A pencil-slim rocket is scheduled to lift into space from South America on Monday, carrying a billion-dollar bet that Europe can grab a juicy slice of the market to place satellites in low orbit.
Employers feel no love for unscrupulous practice of 'service sweethearting'
A new study led by two Florida State University marketing professors finds that some frontline service employees who are rewarded for hikes in customer loyalty and satisfaction also may engage in "service ...
Amateur football players not always keen on returning to play after ACL injuries
Despite the known success rates of reconstructive Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) surgery, the number of high school and collegiate football players returning to play may not be as high as anticipated, say researchers presenting ...
Study finds elevated levels of cell-free DNA in first trimester do not predict preeclampsia
In a study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting, in Dallas, Texas, researchers will report findings that indicate that elevated levels of cell-free DNA in ...
Steroid injections prove effective in treatment of lumbar disc herniations
The use of epidural steroid injections may be a more efficient treatment option for lumbar disc herniations, according to research presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Specialty Day in ...