Cymer partners with IMEC on immersion lithography

January 25th, 2005

Cymer, Inc., the world's leading supplier of deep ultraviolet (DUV) light sources used in semiconductor manufacturing, today announced the integration of a Cymer XLA 105 argon fluoride (ArF) light source on a 0.85 numerical aperture (NA) immersion lithography tool at IMEC’s 300 mm wafer fab facility in Leuven, Belgium. The tool integration marks the first milestone in the company’s participation in IMEC’s Industrial Affiliation Program (IIAP) on Advanced Lithography - aimed at accelerating the adoption of immersion lithography process technology for next-generation (45nm and below) semiconductor applications. Acceptance of the tool will be completed later this month.

Commenting on this milestone, Bob Akins, Cymer's chairman and chief executive officer stated, "Cymer is dedicated to innovating lithography technologies that enable the world’s most advanced lithography processes. We are excited about the opportunity be a part of IMEC's IIAP to collectively ensure the availability of cost-effective immersion lithography process technology for industry adoption at the 45nm node. Integrating our XLA 105 into the 193nm immersion scanner at IMEC further validates the ability of our patented Master Oscillator Power Amplifier (MOPA) architecture to meet the exacting specifications of the industry’s emerging lithography technologies."

The XLA 105 is Cymer's second-generation, leading-edge, ArF light source to feature the production-proven, dual-chamber MOPA platform-providing lithography process engineers with the ultra line-narrowed and power requirements needed for today’s most advanced processes. Already widely adopted for leading-edge dry 193nm scanners, the XLA 105 enables the development of and manufacturing with the immersion lithography process. To date, all 193nm immersion scanners in the field use Cymer light sources.

Commenting on Cymer's participation in the IIAP on Advanced Lithography, Dr. Luc Van den hove, vice president of IMEC stated, "IMEC is pleased to welcome Cymer to the IIAP on Advanced Lithography. As a leading supplier of DUV light sources for semiconductor manufacturing, Cymer will provide tremendous technology expertise. With Cymer’s participation, the IIAP will investigate how light sources can be used to further enhance the latitude of the lithographic processes to extend Moore’s law."