Press Release
EUV Tech, Inc. Completes Development of Next Generation Mask Defect Review Tool
by EUV Tech | February 24, 2020
Martinez, CA – Bay Area-based EUV Tech, Inc. has taken the next major step in Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography by completing development on the AIRES EUV mask defect review tool.
EUV - also known as EUVL - has advanced semiconductor manufacturing by enabling chipmakers to design and fabricate chips on the smallest of scales. The technology directs EUV light onto a photomask, which acts like a stencil used to engrave a chip’s design onto silicon. EUV mirrors housed within a chip manufacturing tool than shrink that design down to mere nanometers which eventually translates into more microchip processing power. At its core, EUV empowers tech consumers to purchase faster, smaller, more energy-efficient devices at less cost while simultaneously facilitating advancement in fields of study like artificial intelligence.
AIRES (Actinic Image REview System) can be used for defect printability review of EUV photomasks by capturing real-world mask defects. This ability to quickly and accurately identify mask defects is critical to the future of chip manufacturing and the continued extension of Moore’s law, which predicts computer processing power will double every two years. Masks must be inspected with actinic, i.e., EUV wavelength light, to accurately detect where defects exist and produce the level of detail required to realistically inform the production process. Some mask manufacturers and chipmakers currently rely on other methodologies including expensive print checks that involve fabricating and inspecting the mask’s pattern on a silicon wafer. However, the precision of AIRES has the potential to minimize the need for other costly inspection practices that previously slowed the adoption of this long-awaited technology.
“This tool continues EUV Tech’s long history of developing world-class EUV Metrology tools with exceptional uptime,” said Dr. Rupert C. C. Perera, President & CEO of EUV Tech, Inc.
AIRES is expected to drastically reduce the installation time as compared to other EUV actinic mask defect inspection systems - and with a lower overall cost of ownership. The tool features EUV Tech’s patented zone plate imaging system and incorporates a proven ultra-clean transfer system for transferring the mask to the process chamber. This allows the microscope to image the mask exactly as the scanner would see it during production. As a result of EUV Tech’s latest accomplishment, AIRES has the potential to transform the current EUV manufacturing landscape.
AIRES will be installed at its first customer site in Q2 2020.
About EUV Tech
Founded in 1997, EUV Tech, Inc. is the world’s leading and most experienced manufacturer of at-wavelength EUV metrology equipment. EUV Tech’s broad range of equipment includes EUV Reflectometers, EUV Pellicle Transmission Tools, and EUV Accelerated Exposure tools. These tools can be found on the production lines of the world’s leading mask manufacturers. Please visit euvtech.com or contact info@euvtech.com for more information.
For Further Information Contact:
EUV Tech, Inc.
1-925-229-4388