Increased throughput realized through Skyhook Technology on i-line scan field steppers: Nikon Announces the i-line Scan Field Stepper, NSR-SF155.

Nikon Corporation (President: Michio Kariya) has developed the NSR-SF155, a scan field i-line stepper that delivers powerful performance for non-critical layers in mass production of next-generation memory and microprocessors. Sales of the system will start in December of 2007. In 2006, Nikon developed the NSR-SF150, which uses Nikon's Skyhook Technology^*, greatly reducing vibration levels. The NSR-SF150 provided far superior overlay accuracy and increased throughput. With the NSR-SF155, improved temperature stabilization in the chamber through heat countermeasures and increased speed of the wafer stage have improved throughput to 200 wafers or more per hour for 300 mm wafers.

• *Skyhook Technology enables the projection lens to be suspended from the body and isolates it from the floor, greatly reducing vibration levels.

Sales Summary

Development Background

In January of 2000, Nikon developed the NSR-SF100, the first i-line stepper in the industry designed for mix-and-match solutions with DUV excimer scanners. It was optimized for exposure of non-critical layers, which account for approximately half of all layers. Its design offered superior cost performance by virtue of shared features with DUV excimer scanners, such as its reduction ratio and exposure field, and by offering high resolution and throughput. In 2006, its successor, the NSR-SF150 offered a high throughput of 180 wafers per hour, contributing substantially to improving productivity and reducing the total investment costs of manufacturing lines. As a result, more than 350 SF series steppers have been sold to date.
The NSR-SF155 is modeled after the NSR-SF150, with its new platform and Skyhook Technology, and has greatly improved throughput performance (200 wafers or more per hour).

Main Performance Features

Main Characteristics

1. Superior throughput

   The combination of the optimal platform for steppers, Skyhook Technology, and the increased speed of the wafer stage has resulted in a great reduction in vibrations as well as increased throughput. The NSR-SF155 boasts superior throughput of 200 or more 300 mm wafers per hour.

2. High overlay accuracy maintained

   As with the NSR-SF150, the NSR-SF155 employs the Skyhook platform and a stage countermass, and heat countermeasures in the chamber achieved by revising the air conditioning duct layout, to maintain an overlay accuracy of 25 nm or better.

3. Low total cost of ownership

   Nikon has developed a system that enables customers to upgrade the NSR-150 on their production lines to the NSR-SF155. Further, improved yield through heat countermeasures within the chamber coupled with high throughput gives the NSR-SF155 the lowest total cost of ownership.