MEDEA+, the pan-European microelectronics R&D organisation,
has set up a European Advisory Board on Maskless Lithography
(EAB-ML2) to guide the various European initiatives on maskless
lithography.
“The expertise and skills that are needed to create
maskless lithography tools are available in Europe. The involvement
of the major European semiconductor manufacturers and semiconductor
equipment companies will ensure that the solutions provided will be
tuned to the requirements of the IC industry," said the chair of
the board, Mart Graef.
Equipment manufactures represented in EAB–ML2 are ASML,
Leica Microsystems, and MAPPER Lithography. ASML aims at a maskless
extension of the optical roadmap via optical mask-less lithography
(OML).
Leica and MAPPER champion mask-less multiple e-beam concepts.
Semiconductor manufacturers represented are STMicroelectronics,
Infineon Technologies and Philips Semiconductors.
Several European consortia are developing tools for maskless
pattern definition. The attraction of maskless systems is that they
avoid the steeply escalating cost of masks.
The consortia are pursuing different concepts based upon either
particle optics or photons. Also a number of ideas on beam
modulating devices are being tested.
EAB-ML2 will serve as a platform for the exchange of ideas
between suppliers and users, and explore application scenarios for
the implementation of maskless lithography.