MBMW (Multi-beam Mask Writer) has been essential for photomask production for leading edge semiconductor devices, such as 7nm node and beyond. However, it took more than 10 years and the resources of many engineers to develop this equipment and use it for manufacturing. I would like to look back on the history of its development as a major challenge in realizing discontinuous technology. In order to achieve further scaling of semiconductor devices, Extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL), which also has a long history of development, requires EUV masks manufactured using MBMW. In addition to this equipment, we have also developed the appropriate resist process and pattern transfer technology, and last year we were able to stably manufacture EUV masks for the 5nm node. In this presentation, we will describe these achievements, the performance of the latest MBMW, and expected future applications.
|