Posted on Saturday, June 20 2009 @ 2:32 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck
Intel researchers report they've managed to push 193mm immersion lithography down to 15nm with some form of a double-patterning technique. More info
at EE Times.
The disclosure is further evidence that 193-nm immersion -- with some form of a double-patterning technique -- can scale much further than previously possible. It also means that extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography could get pushed out--again.
So far, EUV has demonstrated the ability to print images down to 24-nm or so. The industry hopes to insert EUV at the 16-nm node.
Today, Intel is using ''dry'' 193-nm lithography for production at the 45-nm node. For 32-nm, which will go into production by year's end, the chip giant plans to use its first immersion tools. As reported, it plans to use 193-nm immersion scanners from one vendor: Nikon Corp.
