As chipmakers continue to reduce the feature sizes and shrink CDs on the wafer, they need to install the advanced tools required to enable patterning of the most critical layers. NAND flash memory and dynamic random access memory (“DRAM”) manufacturers have been the most aggressive chipmakers in shrinking CDs and have been driving demand for our most advanced light sources for ArF immersion lithography applications. Some chipmakers are in development or in the early stages of chip production with CDs of approximately 32nm. DRAM manufacturers are in production at 45nm and began adopting immersion lithography in production during 2006. Leading edge semiconductor manufacturers in the memory, logic and foundry sectors have been developing ArF immersion extension down to the 22nm technology and implementing double patterning technique, which means the ArF immersion ramp could last for several years.
The XLR 600ix is the industry’s first field-selectable 60 to 90 watt immersion light source. Introduced in February 2009, the XLR 600ix delivers improved on-wafer performance to chipmakers and offers newly developed optics technology for higher-powered applications. The light source also provides industry-leading performance enhancements over the XLR 500i, including a 1.5x improvement in wavelength and bandwidth stability and a 2x improvement in dose stability.