Reality Checks for High-NA EUV for 1.x nm Nodes

Reality Checks for High-NA EUV for 1.x nm Nodes
by Fred Chen on 04-26-2023 at 6:00 am

Reality Checks for High NA EUV for 1.x nm Nodes

The “1.xnm” node on most roadmaps to indicate a 16-18 nm metal line pitch [1]. The center-to-center spacing may be expected to be as low as 22-26 nm (sqrt(2) times line pitch). The EXE series of EUV (13.5 nm wavelength) lithography systems from ASML feature a 0.55 “High” NA (numerical aperture), targeted… Read More


Can Attenuated Phase-Shift Masks Work For EUV?

Can Attenuated Phase-Shift Masks Work For EUV?
by Fred Chen on 04-18-2023 at 6:00 am

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Normalized image log-slope (NILS) is probably the single most essential metric for describing lithographic image quality. It is defined as the slope of the log of intensity, multiplied by the linewidth [1], NILS = d(log I)/dx * w = w/I dI/dx.  Essentially, it gives the % change in width for a given % change in dose. This is particularly… Read More