Intel expects to move to 15nm in 2013

Intel revealed a glimpse of its lithography roadmap at last weekend's LithoVision 2010. The chip giant disclosed 193nm immersion technology is expected to extend to the 11nm logic node and announced that extreme ultraviolet (EUV) will arrive later than expected. The company had hoped to use this technology at 22nm, which is due out in 2011, but now the company unveiled it won't be capable of introducing it at 15nm either.

The company also reiterated that it could extend 193-nm immersion technology to the 15-nm logic node, which is due out in 2013. ''193-nm immersion with pitch division is the only option'' for high-volume manufacturing at 15-nm, he said.

At 15-nm, "we will be in pilot line production with EUV. If maskless is available, we will be in pilot production (with that technology),'' he said.

Then, at 11-nm, Intel is also looking at 193-nm immersion, with a quint--or five mask--patterning. ''ArF can do it with five masks,'' he said.

At 11-nm, it reiterated its concept of a ''complementary'' or mix-and-match strategy, in which 193-nm immersion could work hand-in-hand with EUV or maskless lithography to enable advanced chip designs.

It's unclear which technology--EUV or maskless--will get the nod at Intel. To get inserted within Intel, EUV must prove that it works by 2011 or 2012. Maskless must prove viable and that it works by 2012.

More info at EE Times.