Nikon Accelerates Electron Projection Lithography (EPL)
Development to Meet Customer Demand at 70 nm Chip Makers Rely on EPL Option for Critical Level Fabrication

BELMONT, CA. U.S.A., 2001-02-22 --- Nikon Research Corporation of America (NRCA) announced today that Nikon Corporation (Tokyo, JAPAN (Nippon)) has accelerated its Electron Projection Lithography (EPL) development program initiated in 1995 with IBM Corporation and has determined that major integrated circuit manufacturers are relying on the availability of EPL production tools for critical level fabrication at the 70 nm node.

YOSHIDA, Shoichiro, president of Nikon Corporation, stated,

"Nikon has initiated a program to accelerate the production of EPL steppers to meet the needs of our customers for 70 nm critical layers.
In 1999, we reported results from the proof of concept (POC) electron optical system developed by IBM Corporation that confirmed the capability to fabricate integrated circuits in volume production.
We believe that EPL will provide our customers the capability to extend to sub-35 nm resolution."

Papers to be presented at the SPIE Microlithography Conference in Santa Clara, CA. U.S.A., which begins February 25, will include results from the prototype electron optical subsystem that confirmed the deflection performance of the Three-dimensional curvilinear variable axis lens necessary for volume production.

The prototype electron optical subsystem developed at IBM's Semiconductor Research and Development Center recently was installed and is operating at Nikon's facility in Kumagaya (Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan) where it will be integrated into Nikon's first commercial e-beam stepper.

Electron optical system characterization data will be available the second quarter of 2001 and total system integration performance reported in mid-2002.

Nikon plans to begin shipping production EPL tools by the fourth quarter 2004.

Nikon is strengthening its EPL infrastructure, which includes associations with mask makers, photoresist manufacturers and chip makers worldwide.

Mask makers have demonstrated the ability to fabricate EPL masks.

HOYA Corporation (Tokyo, Japan (Nippon)) is providing the test reticles for the first generation Nikon EPL system and HOYA and other mask makers will provide EPL production masks in the future.

The integrated circuit manufacturing consortium members of Semiconductor Leading Edge Technology Inc. (Selete) have agreed to support Nikon's EPL program through that organization and Texas Instruments Inc. anticipates using EPL as soon as it is available.

Nikon is working with resist vendors on higher sensitivity e-beam resists but initially, mask making resists can be used for EPL.

The maturity of e-beam resists eliminates the timing risks associated with 157 nm and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) resists.

Senior managers at major IC companies have defined the need for commercially viable EPL tools for the 70 nm node.

Dr. Dale IBBOTSON, director of VLSI Process Development at Agere Systems, states,

"Agere believes in the viability of EPL technology for Next Generation Lithography (NGL).
In particular, we expect EPL to be especially suited to communications semiconductors, where the technology's speed, flexibility and low-cost masks are key attributes.
Agere intends to work with the available infrastructure vendors as we look to bring EPL technology into our fabs."
"We consider EPL a strong contender for Next Generation Lithography."

stated Dr. John WARLAUMONT, director of Silicon Technology at IBM Corporation's Semiconductor Research and Development Center.

Mr. Mark Meilliar-SMITH, president and chief executive officer of SEMATECH stated that

"International SEMATECH has supported Next Generation Lithography for several years as an important part of our member companies' technology plans.
Our present programs cover both EUV and EPL.
We are fully committed to supporting the crucial infrastructure needs of the industry as NGL technologies move to commercialization."

Nikon also has plans to continue its aggressive programs on 157 nm and EUV as well as EPL to allow "mix-and-match" for the most economic and timely lithographic solutions to meet the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS).

Nikon Research Corporation of America (NRCA), Belmont, CA. U.S.A., is a research and development indirect subsidiary of Nikon Corporation, a leading supplier of microelectronic manufacturing equipment.
NRCA performs research for Nikon Corporation on KrF (248 nm), ArF (193 nm), F2(157 nm), EPL and EUV lithography technology.