TOK joins CEA-Leti IMAGINE program to develop multiple e-beam lithography sub-20nm resists and processes

KAWASAKI, JAPAN & GRENOBLE, FRANCE: TOK and CEA-Leti announced that TOK will join the new industry/research multi-partner program IMAGINE that is developing maskless lithography for IC manufacturing.

The three-year project is led by CEA-Leti, a research center committed to creating and commercializing innovation in micro- and nanotechnologies, and also includes semiconductor manufacturers TSMC and STMicroelectronics. It is evaluating a maskless lithography infrastructure and the use of MAPPER Lithography tools for high throughput. The multiple e-beam-lithography program covers a global approach to the technology, including tool assessment, patterning and process integration, data handling, prototyping and cost analysis.

“TOK’s material development beyond the 20nm node covers a broad range of technology- platform and lithography-process candidates, such as EUVL, ML2, and DSA. The IMAGINE program at CEA-Leti, which focuses on multiple e-beam lithography, is a very attractive program especially for understanding the fundamental RLS (resolution, line edge roughness and sensitivity) issue in photoresist development,” said Kazufumi Sato, TOK R&D general manager. “TOK will contribute to the program by providing a materials perspective based on our deep knowledge of the electron-beam resist and recent discoveries from the EUV resist development.”

“The development of new chemically amplified resist platforms achieving resolution below 20nm with a line-edge roughness in the nanometer range is one of the main challenges for next-generation lithography,” said Serge Tedesco, CEA-Leti program manager.

“We have already built a long and fruitful collaboration with TOK by working together at the introduction of e-beam lithography at the STMicroelectronics Crolles Line. We are very pleased to continue this relationship with a worldwide leader in resist technology, ensuring a boost for the IMAGINE program and reinforcing the semiconductor industry’s commitment to introduce ML2 in manufacturing.”