Imec and ASML Demonstrate High NA EUV Lithography for Logic and DRAM

Belgian research lab imec has made significant strides in the field of nanotechnology, showcasing patterned structures achieved through exposure with a 0.55NA high numerical aperture EUV scanner. This breakthrough was the result of a study conducted at the joint ASML-imec High NA EUV Lithography Lab in Veldhoven, the Netherlands, highlighting the potential of high NA lithography for the next generation of chip manufacturing below 2nm.

The high NA EUV lithography machines, such as the TWINSCAN EXE:5000 built by ASML in the Netherlands, come with a hefty price tag running into hundreds of millions of dollars. The cost-effectiveness of these cutting-edge machines has been a topic of ongoing discussion within the industry. However, the recent project at imec demonstrated the printing of random logic structures down to 9.5nm, random vias with a 30nm center-to-center distance, 2D features at a 22nm pitch, and a DRAM-specific layout at P32nm after a single exposure.

Prior to the exposures, imec meticulously prepared dedicated wafer stacks with advanced resists, underlayers, and photomasks. They then transferred High NA EUV baseline processes, including optical proximity correction (OPC) and integrated patterning and etch techniques, to the 0.55NA EUV scanner. This successful execution confirms the readiness of the ecosystem to enable high-resolution High NA EUV Lithography, according to imec.

imec's achievement in patterning single exposure random logic structures with 9.5nm dense metal lines and random vias with a 30nm center-to-center distance showcases excellent pattern fidelity and critical dimension uniformity. Moreover, the successful printing of 2D features at a P22nm pitch highlights the immense potential of High NA Lithography in enabling 2D routing, a crucial aspect in advanced chip design.

Luc Van den hove, president and CEO of imec, emphasized the significance of these results, stating that High NA EUV lithography is poised to play a pivotal role in pushing the dimensional scaling of logic and memory technologies further into the 'angstrom era.' The joint efforts of ASML and imec have paved the way for the introduction of High NA lithography into manufacturing, providing valuable insights to ecosystem partners and accelerating technological advancements in the field.