Current status and prospect for EUV lithography

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography which can utilize the single resist process is the most promising lithographic technology for semiconductor electronic devices such as MPU, memory. In the International Electron Device Meeting (IEDM) 2016 which was held in San Francisco, as the fabrication of ULSIs which are going to use for the future Internet of Things (IoT) requires the low cost and low power consumption devices, using the single resist process in high volume manufacturing is strongly required. The technical issues of EUV lithography for high volume manufacturing are 1) EUV light source, 2) EUV resist development, 3) EUV pellicle, and 4) defect free EUV mask development. EUVL is planned to be inset into high volume manufacturing from 2019. Recently, ASML demonstrated EUV LPP source power of 250 W at intermediate focal point, and adapting to NxE-3400B EUV exposure system, 12 inches wafer throughput of 125 wafers per hour is achieved. The current status of and prospect for EUVL will be introduced and discussed.