This study pertains to the semiconductor manufacturing sector wherein it provides insight into emerging trends and research and development in the area of nanolithography. The research report covers key developments taking place in nanolithography required for fabricating future nanoscale semiconductor devices. In particular, potential technologies for fabricating smaller transistors is looked into, with leading candidates being extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, electron beam (e-beam) direct writing, and nanoimprinting. An analytical overlook on research pipelines and market requirements is done to highlight the possible scenario in the coming years. The report is written in a manner easily understood and allows the reader to assess different technologies from a top level view, while simultaneously providing comprehensive degree of information to its readers.

 

Key Findings

- Research in next generation lithography tools has been focused towards EUV being touted as the way to go. A few billion dollars have been spent on its research.

- A replacement to current double patterning techniques is required to reduce the cost of ownership. Current indicators expect immersion lithography to still be in place up to 2012-2013, making it the technology of choice for the next process node -- xxnm.

- Recent developments in EUV equipment research pipelines indicate a possible monopoly to occur in 2012-2013, with ASML, Netherlands, expected to be the sole provider of mass volume production capable EUV scanners. Duration of monopoly could stretch to two years, depending on Nikon's (Japan) EUV developments. With this in sight, ASML, is expected to maintain its pace in R&D, leveraging its technology leadership.

- Alternatives for future nano-lithography tools such as e-beam (electron-beam) and nanoimprinting faces a big challenge ahead with industry players heading towards EUV. This will however be dependent also on tooling cost for EUV, with systems expected to hold a price tag of more than $xxx million. The industry is still not prepared for mass volume production; scanners are targeted to be ready around 2013.

- A major concern to EUV is mask infrastructure, where defect detection at mask level is being addressed. The challenge to fabricate fault-free masks is being addressed by EMI (EUV Mask Infrastructure) partnership, with key participants including Carl Zeiss based in Germany and IMEC (research institution) based in Belgium.

- Consolidations have reduced the number of players, with state of the art photo-lithography scanners and steppers supplied by only two companies; ASML and Nikon. The third largest player, Canon, has significantly smaller market share and has not been seen keeping pace technologically with ASML and Nikon. Industry-wide consolidations could impact future collaborative research, with less available partners. Such concerns were raised also by research institutions, expecting more consolidation to occur and only the large companies could afford developing state of the art technologies

- E-beam technology is yet to meet throughput demanded by the market, but possibilities are present with Mapper Lithography, Netherlands, working with key industry players such as Taiwanese TSMC and STMicroelectronics headquartered in Switzerland.

- E-beam solution providers targeting masks manufacturing could benefit from shrinking of feature sizes. Write time is significantly longer, proposing the needs of multi-beam mask-writing capabilities. Mask market remains small, with key manufacturers having their own mask shops. Demand for photomask however, is expected to increase when EUV is moved to mass volume production. This is however only applicable to mask makers capable of providing the chip makers and foundries defect-free masks.

- Alternatives to EUV has experienced much less funding. Companies being much smaller in size, have limited resources for internal R&D. These smaller companies could benefit from consolidation with bigger organizations, or better aligning development direction.

- The market is unprepared to accept nanoimprinting lithography, with higher defect levels and overlay capabilities remaining the main concern. Several players such as Swedish based Obducat and Austrian based EV Group has branched and are more focused on other markets, such as display technology and a large market possibly emerging from next generation storage devices manufacturing. In technical challenges faced in mainstream nanolithography, Molecular Imprints Inc (MII), a spin-off from University of Texas, has played a major role and is still improving its systems to cater to the industry.