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In a critical step toward creating the infrastructure for extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) in high volume manufacturing at the 22nm half-pitch node, engineers from Sematech have worked closely with researchers from major resist suppliers to demonstrate chemically amplified EUV resist (CAR) platforms that support 22nm half-pitch resolution.

Sematech also reported that the teams are close to resolving sub-20nm half-pitch features as well.

In the work, resist platforms were evaluated with results demonstrating 22nm half-pitch resolution, favourable photospeed of 15 mJ/ cm2 and line width roughness (LWR) with 5 to 6nm.

Sematech noted that although LWR is higher than the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors specification, it is expected that resist post processing and etch processes are likely to bring down LWR to a value that is acceptable on the device level for early adopters in DRAM and/or flash applications.

John Warlaumont, VP of advanced technology at Sematech explained that the results mark a cornerstone in the development of EUV lithography and represent the first real 22nm resist data, which should build confidence for EUV as a viable technology for 22nm half-pitch lithography.

"Partnering with resist suppliers to accelerate resist cycles of learning has been critical to bringing EUV resist readiness to this point, where EUV resists can now support 22nm half-pitch imaging. The combination of Sematech and resist supplier expertise has been an indispensable asset in conducting this important advanced research," he said in a statement.

Further, Sematech said that over the past year, advances in EUV resists have been allowed by Sematech's EUV Resist Test centre (RTC) in Albany, NY, through its two micro-exposure tools (METs) located at the University at Albany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering and at the University of California at Berkeley. Sematech believes its METs were critical in helping to break the 35nm half-pitch resolution barrier in 2006.

Through its EUV resist development program, Sematech engineers and resist suppliers have subsequently made significant progress to improve resist resolution down to 26- to 28nm half-pitch; now demonstrating 22nm half-pitch resolution.

"This achievement was deemed to be impossible by leading resist experts only a few years ago. Resist suppliers have made excellent progress in improving EUV resist resolution, thanks to access to the METs which provide the highest resolution available worldwide among EUV optical imaging systems," commented Chawon Koh, Sematech's EUV resist process engineer and resist expert leading the joint evaluation of resist platforms with resist suppliers.

In other Sematech news, late last month, global foundry UMC joined the consortium to work together on 300mm technology.

By Ann Steffora Mutschler, Senior Editor - Electronic News