To overview |
|
| | |||
| EUV |
| BMBF Project Leads to Enhancement of EUV Lithography | Downloads and Links | ||
| Sponsoring of German Ministry of Education and Research unites experts' know-how about innovative technology | RTF Documents
english (125 KB)Further Information 
Deutsche Version | ||
| BERLIN, OBERKOCHEN/Germany, 01.08.2012. Under the leadership of Carl Zeiss a new project has started, which is sponsored by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). This undertaking focuses on EUV lithography in which extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light is used to create the structures on microchips. This new technology will be ready for production at the end of the year and enable the manufacture of structures as small as 20 nanometers. The objective of the joint ETIK project (“EUV projection optics for 14 nm resolu- tion”) now is to improve the resolution that can be achieved with EUV lithography to at least 14 nano- meters. The ongoing miniaturization of structures increases the performance of microchips and helps reduce the costs of electronic devices. The BMBF is sponsoring the three-year project with a total of 7 million euros. Expanding Germany's leading position To improve the resolution to 14 nanometers, consortium partners are researching new manufacturing technologies for the key modules of EUV systems, the illumination system and the projection optics. For example, a highly flexible optical switching unit will further enhance the performance of the system through the use of new facets and an innovative design for the surfaces of the reflection mirrors in the projection lens. Furthermore, research work in the fields of optical measuring technology, and precision engineering and micro-cooling technology is planned. Under the leadership of Carl Zeiss, six other German companies and research institutes are involved in the ETIK project. Dr. Andreas Dorsel, member of the Management Board of Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH, stresses: "We see EUV technology as the key to the microelectronics of tomorrow. The project unites proven experts who will now take EUV to the next level. As a result, we are not only strengthening Germany's leading position in the field of complex optics for lithography systems, but also enabling even more people around the world to acquire state-of-the-art electronic devices by lowering the price of microchips through our research work." Sponsoring brings experts together For this joint project, Bestec GmbH in Berlin is developing machine concepts for a new genera- tion of reflectometers to measure the EUV reflec- tivity of large mirror surfaces. The Institute for Technical Optics (University Stuttgart) is deve- loping and testing the concept of flexible setting measuring technology for mirrors with a new type of surface geometry. IMS CHIPS in Stuttgart is contributing powerful optical components to ensure the quality of the projection lens. The Fraunhofer institutes for Electron Beam and Plasma Technology (FEP in Dresden), for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering (IOF in Jena) and for Material and Beam Technology (IWS in Dresden) are providing scientific-technical services to further improve the surface quality of reflective optical components, which play a key role in the lithographic performance of the projection system. About Optical lithography Optical lithography describes a key process in microchip fabrication. The functional elements of a microchip are transferred from a mask to a silicon wafer by means of complex optical systems. Compared to existing lithography processes, EUV lithography works with extremely shortwave light with a wavelength of just 13.5 nanometers, which enables much finer details and thus further miniaturization. In addition to higher microchip performance, this also ensures lower unit costs and power consumption. Carl Zeiss is the global leader in optical systems for EUV lithography. These optical systems are part of the wafer scanners of the Dutch company ASML.  Adjustment of EUV Optics Ilka Hauswald Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH Phone: +49 7364 20-9231 Fax: +49 7364 20-9205 E-Mail: 
i.hauswald@smt.zeiss.com
Number: 0074-2012-ENG SE |
|