Nikon NSR-S610C First Immersion Tool Will begin in Production for 43 nm NAND Flash

At the 4th International Symposium on Immersion Lithography held in Keystone, Colorado (USA) from October 8 to October 11, 2007, Nikon Corporation (Michio Kariya, President) and Toshiba Corporation announced 43 nm NAND Flash production would begin using the Nikon NSR-S610C ArF immersion scanner. The NSR-S610C (NA = 1.30), the world's first 45 nm-capable ArF immersion scanner, is targeted for mass production of 45 nm and smaller memory and 32 nm logic devices.

Starting with the NSR-S609B, the world's first production immersion tool shipped in January, 2006, Nikon has consistently been first to market with immersion scanners for production. The NSR-S610C started shipping in February, 2007, and was the first scanner capable of printing 45 nm half pitch and smaller patterns with sufficient process windows for volume production. The immersion scanners use proprietary Nikon Local Fill Technology, which 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 system utilizes two stages with different functions to increase throughput, improve accuracy, and enhance long-term stability.

"By being first to market with a 45 nm production tool, we have enabled our customers gain a clear competitive advantage" stated Kazuo Ushida, President of the Nikon Precision Equipment Company. "In lithography, time to market is critical and we've proven our ability to bring production worthy tools to the market faster than the competition."