Vistec announces new technology for electron-beam lithography systems

JENA, GERMANY: Vistec Electron Beam GmbH announced that the company is ready to provide its electron-beam lithography systems with a vacuum compatible air-bearing based positioning system overcoming the limitations of roller bearings for future performance requirements.

The new platform is designed to support both Vistec’s Variable Shaped Beam (VSB) writers as well as the Multi Shaped Beam (MSB) lithography system currently under development.

The combination of the new highly sophisticated platform with advanced variable shaped beam electron optics enables Vistec to address mask writing as well as electron-beam direct write application demands for future technology nodes according to the ITRS roadmap. In addition, a multitude of special application needs, e.g. in the micro- and nanooptics area will be met.

Vistec’s Multi Shaped Beam technology represents one of the most promising solutions to overcoming the throughput limitations in electron-beam lithography. By applying MSB techniques the substrate is exposed with an array of individually controlled shaped beams in parallel instead of a single shaped beam sequentially.

The underlying technology continues to utilize the basic principle of shaped beams which significantly reduces the development risk and time. Proof of Lithography has already been successfully demonstrated.

“We will continue to pursue the development of MSB technology, since we have learned from many occasions that there is a strong market demand for a commercially available high throughput multi e-beam writer. The combination with an air bearing stage platform will enable Vistec to meet challenging future performance requirements,” stated Wolfgang Dorl, General Manager of Vistec Electron Beam GmbH.

For this aspiring development Vistec has teamed up with uniquely qualified partners from research organisations and the industry.

Vistec has already received a Purchase Order for an advanced variable shaped beam lithography tool equipped with an air-bearing stage platform.