Research News Long term planning from Europe
A KEY expert group set up by the European Commission sets out guidelines on giving European industry a competitive edge in deploying the industrial technologies of the future (Key Enabling Technologies). The main conclusions call on decision-makers to adopt radical policy objectives to retain critical capability and capacity in Europe through a single and comprehensive approach to KETs. In particular, the group recommends that the vital importance of KETs should be reflected in the structure and funding balance in the upcoming framework for research and innovation and in the priorities of the EU’s future regional policy. European Commission Vice-
President Antonio Tajani warned that Europe’s industry “would suffer losses in competitiveness”, if it fails to successfully exploit the six following important KETs (micro- and nanoelectronics, advanced materials, industrial biotechnology, photonics, nanotechnology and advanced manufacturing systems). “Europe’s
Technological research and product demonstration projects should be given a high priority. Further recommendations cover the combination of funding mechanisms at EU and national level and a set of actions to enhance technological skills in Europe. An “in Europe first” Intellectual Property policy is called for and a monitoring mechanism to analyse market developments on KETs is also proposed. KETs are embedded at the core of
innovation depends on the development and growth of Key Enabling Technologies. We need to focus our policies better and align them to create more synergies between our instruments to boost Europe’s capabilities in the area of KETS. I am convinced KET’s follow-through applications will allow Europe to create more jobs and growth. The
commitment of private stakeholders to investing in Europe will also be vital for success”, he said.
advanced products. An electric car is a combination of advanced materials for batteries, microelectronics components for power electronics in order to reduce the weight of the car, photonics for low consumption lighting, industrial biotechnologies for low friction tyres and manufacturing systems to produce electrical vehicles at a competitive cost. Similarly a mobile phone incorporates microelectronic chips for
communications, photonics enabled camera and optics, advanced materials for new tactile screens, and so forth.
imec produces first EUV lithography wafer
IMEC has announced that it has successfully printed first Extreme- Ultraviolet (EUV)-light wafers with the ASML NXE:3100 preproduction scanner using XTREME technologies Laser assisted Discharge Plasma (LDP) source. The tool shows significant improvement in throughput and overlay compared to ASML’s Alpha Demo Tool (ADT). The ASML NXE:3100 is interfaced with a TEL Lithius Pro EUV process track. It is the only preproduction tool in the world equipped with a laser assisted discharge plasma (LDP) source from XTREME technologies. The source power is expected to scale to 100 Watts by early 2012, increasing the scanner throughput from the current level to 60 wafers (300mm) per hour. The exposure rate of the NXE:3100
is already 20 times faster than that of the EUV ADT. A first test of dedicated chuck overlay showed the potential to achieve the <4nm target, which is significantly better than the ADT. The
NXE:3100 integrates 4 image and 4 dose control sensors which were developed within imec’s CMORE development and prototyping service. Installation of these new sensors combined with new wafer tables made both chucks equivalent for overlay, enabling full twinstage-type operation. At the same time, off-axis illumination options have been installed, which have proven to resolve sub-20nm features using dipole illumination.
“The availability of the NXE:3100 at imec is an important milestone,” said Luc Van den hove, President and CEO of imec. “We are excited with the current results and throughput we achieve. Our decision to implement the LDP source from XTREME technologies is an important added value for our partners since it allows them to test both our LDP (laser assisted discharge plasma) and the LPP (laser produced plasma) sources currently installed at other sites. We are convinced that our
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program will bring contributions to bringing EUV to mass manufacturing for the 16nm node by 2013.” Ron Kool, ASML Senior Vice
President EUV said “The work at imec exemplifies the industry momentum behind EUV and will help prepare the ground for the introduction of EUV into high-volume manufacturing.” This work was executed with imec’s key partners in its core CMOS programs Globalfoundries, Intel, Micron, Panasonic, Samsung, TSMC, Elpida, Hynix, Fujitsu, Sony and Powerchip.
www.euroasiasemiconductor.com Issue III 2011
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