Nikon Ships World's First 45 nm Capable Immersion Scanner

Nikon Corporation (Michio Kariya, President) has shipped the world's first immersion lithography system capable of 45 nm production. The NSR-S610C, an ArF immersion scanner with the industry's highest projection lens NA of 1.30 has been shipped to a major IC manufacturer. The system is targeted for mass production of 45 nm devices. The system can also be used for development of 32 nm devices and double patterning. The NSR-S610C was selected over the competition because of its early market introduction and Nikon's proven ability to print immersion exposures with no immersion-induced defects and overlay similar to dry systems.

"2006 was a great year for Nikon's immersion program," said Kazuo Ushida, President of the Nikon Precision Equipment Company. "In January, we shipped the world's first production immersion system, the NSR-S609B. Throughout the year, we achieved wins at several accounts by demonstrating our immersion leadership through evaluations and direct comparisons with our competitor's tool. And after a one-year, head-to-head evaluation in a customer fab, we secured the immersion business at a major IC manufacturer. The shipment of the NSR-S610C further cements our leadership in immersion technology."

The NSR-S610C builds on Nikon's immersion expertise. Proprietary Nikon Local Fill Technology is proven to eliminate scanner-induced immersion defects with no bubbles, water spots, or backside wafer contamination. This technology also eliminates evaporation of the immersion fluid, providing a critical advantage in preventing immersion related overlay problems. Nikon's Tandem Stage utilizes two stages with different functions to increase throughput, improve accuracy, and enhance long-term stability.

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