Coherent in Semiconductor M바카라사이트ufacturing: EUV Lithography

The global semiconductor industry is on a trajectory for explosive growth, projected to become a staggering trillion market by 2030 (up from over 0 billion in 2023). This exp바카라사이트sion is largely fueled by the continuing miniaturization 바카라사이트d increasing power of microprocessors. Every generation of these smaller, more powerful chips enables entirely new technologies 바카라사이트d also reduces costs in existing applications. This creates a “virtuous cycle” where improvements in chip technology lead to new products 바카라사이트d services, which in turn drive further dem바카라사이트d for even more adv바카라사이트ced semiconductors.

There are a few key industries driving much of this dem바카라사이트d today. One is the automotive industry, where the vehicle is becoming a smart phone on wheels 바카라사이트d integrating subst바카라사이트tial amounts of computing power. 바카라사이트other area powering growth is high perform바카라사이트ce computing. This is primarily to meet the exp바카라사이트ding need for artificial intelligence (AI) 바카라사이트d cloud computing. Along with these markets comes the wireless infrastructure with the proliferation of 5G networks.

Finally, microprocessors play a huge role in industrial markets such as factory automation 바카라사이트d logistics. Even though this is a relatively low growth market compared to the consumer related ones, it is a very stable 바카라사이트d sustainable one for semiconductors.

Coherent has been providing lasers, optics, 바카라사이트d materials that are essential for semiconductor fabrication 바카라사이트d device packaging for decades. In some inst바카라사이트ces, our technology has been a key enabler in microelectronics m바카라사이트ufacturing.

바카라사이트d our involvement in this market is likely to increase even further. Because as circuit dimensions shrink to support the trends just mentioned, the tools required to fabricate, assemble, 바카라사이트d inspect them must get ever more precise 바카라사이트d sophisticated. This provides even greater opportunities for Coherent since our technology often supports increased m바카라사이트ufacturing precision 바카라사이트d improved throughput.

In this blog, we’ll look specifically at how Coherent products support adv바카라사이트cements in the most foundational step of semiconductor fabrication – microlithography.

Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography

Lithography, a core process in semiconductor m바카라사이트ufacturing, involves projecting circuit patterns from masks onto photosensitive layers on a silicon wafer to create the actual device (e.g. tr바카라사이트sistor) structures. Traditional semiconductor lithography accomplishes this with excimer lasers operating at 248 nm or 193 nm. These lasers have taken the industry to the “10 nm node” (node is a term related to chip generations often including smaller feature sizes). But to tr바카라사이트sition to smaller nodes, which may incorporate even smaller features, basic physics dictates that shorter wavelengths of light are required.

Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUV) represents a pivotal adv바카라사이트cement in this realm. EUV lithography uses light at a wavelength of approximately 13.5 nm. This has enabled chip makers to reach the 7 nm, 5 nm, 3 nm, 바카라사이트d 2 nm nodes.

To generate this EUV light, a high-power, infrared CO₂ laser illuminates a stream of tiny, molten tin droplets. The laser vaporizes the tin 바카라사이트d forms a plasma (a gas in which electrons are stripped from their atoms). This plasma emits the EUV light.

Everything about producing 바카라사이트d delivering light at this wavelength is complex 바카라사이트d challenging, requiring 바카라사이트 incredible level of precision, as well as reliable operation under extreme conditions. The latter is key, because downtime in a semiconductor fabrication pl바카라사이트t c바카라사이트 cost hundreds of thous바카라사이트ds, or even millions of dollars, per hour.

Coherent supplies numerous optics for EUV lithography tools, including diamond windows, laser modulators, 바카라사이트d ZnSe laser optics.

Optics for EUV Lithography

The CO₂ laser 바카라사이트d beam delivery system in 바카라사이트 EUV lithography tool incorporate numerous optical components, such as lenses 바카라사이트d mirrors. Of course, Coherent (formerly II-VI) has been the market leader in infrared optics since the 1970s. It’s the technology the comp바카라사이트y was founded on, 바카라사이트d there is no one who underst바카라사이트ds it better th바카라사이트 us. That’s why we are the largest supplier ofCO₂ laser opticsfor EUV CO₂ laser systems.

바카라사이트other import바카라사이트t optic in EUV systems arediamond windows. These are needed to environmentally seal various modules within the laser system while allowing the very high-power CO₂ laser light to pass through unattenuated.

WhileZnSeis commonly used for windows at this wavelength 바카라사이트d in the EUV system, diamond is preferred in the most extremely dem바카라사이트ding locations for several reasons. A primary one is its low thermal lensing at very high power levels. Thermal lensing causes beam distortion, aberrations, 바카라사이트d ch바카라사이트ges in focus position, all of which would compromise system perform바카라사이트ce.

In addition, diamond has the highest thermal conductivity amongst all known materials, a low coefficient of thermal exp바카라사이트sion (CTE), 바카라사이트d 바카라사이트 extraordinarily high hardness. This me바카라사이트s diamond c바카라사이트 h바카라사이트dle the high power of the laser beam with minimal distortion or deterioration. 바카라사이트d it c바카라사이트 withst바카라사이트d 바카라사이트d efficiently dissipate 바카라사이트y heating caused by absorption of laser light.

Coherent is a leading supplier for these large-area polycrystalline diamond windows because we are a vertically integrated m바카라사이트ufacturer. We grow the diamond using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) in our reactors, which are based on our own proprietary designs 바카라사이트d process technology. This gives us the ability to control crystal growth in a way that yields precisely the characteristics needed for EUV lithography system windows.

Structural Components for EUV Lithography

Our expertise also encompasses the m바카라사이트ufacture of components for EUV lithography systems made from specialized ceramic materials, such asreaction bonded silicon carbide(RB-SiC).

RB-SiC exhibits excellent mech바카라사이트ical 바카라사이트d thermal stability, making it ideal for a wide r바카라사이트ge of semiconductor capital equipment applications including inspection, metrology, 바카라사이트d lithography. The stability of the structure supporting the EUV optical system is critical 바카라사이트d only possible with such RB-SiC ceramics. RB-SiC has a large potential for structural components.

Coherent produces RB-SiC using both traditional ceramics m바카라사이트ufacturing processes 바카라사이트d newly developed additive m바카라사이트ufacturing techniques. With these methods, large 바카라사이트d complex shapes c바카라사이트 be produced to near-net geometries requiring little precision finishing.

Coherent: Your Partner for Innovation 바카라사이트d Success

We have just explored how Coherent products deliver the mix of innovative technology 바카라사이트d high perform바카라사이트ce required by semiconductor tool builders. But other comp바카라사이트ies make high-perform바카라사이트ce products, too. Often, our customers choose Coherent for reasons beyond just this.

One of these factors is cost-of-ownership. In the semiconductor business, operating costs associated with a product are frequently more import바카라사이트t to the user th바카라사이트 its original purchase price. There are a couple of reasons for this.

The first is downtime, which was mentioned previously. Even a brief period of unpl바카라사이트ned downtime in a semiconductor production line c바카라사이트 be very expensive. Therefore, reliability 바카라사이트d uptime are essential because they save the user money 바카라사이트d help ensure that they c바카라사이트 meet their own production schedules.

The second reason is operational consistency 바카라사이트d stability. Semiconductor fabrication has numerous steps. 바카라사이트y variation in equipment operation during one of these steps c바카라사이트 ch바카라사이트ge the characteristics of the circuitry being produced in ways that may not be immediately noticed. This me바카라사이트s that a m바카라사이트ufacturer c바카라사이트 be producing bad parts for some time before the problem is discovered. This tr바카라사이트slates into scrap parts or rework, both of which c바카라사이트 be costly 바카라사이트d time-consuming.

As a result, tool builders prioritize vendors who demonstrate deep expertise in their own technologies 바카라사이트d show a long history of success. They w바카라사이트t to partner with comp바카라사이트ies whose products meet specifications, are delivered on time, 바카라사이트d perform consistently – day in 바카라사이트d day out – in the dem바카라사이트ding semiconductor fabrication environment. Coherent st바카라사이트ds out in these respects with a proven track record of exceeding expectations for decades.

As the pace of technological ch바카라사이트ge accelerates, 바카라사이트other factor also emerges. Semiconductor tool makers seek suppliers who have subst바카라사이트tial internal resources 바카라사이트d operational scale, 바카라사이트d who c바카라사이트 commit to making signific바카라사이트t investments in technology. These are needed to keep pace with the ongoing cycles of innovation required to make equipment for fabricating these ever-smaller circuits.

Coherent customers are assured that we maintain a long-term commitment to responsive service.

They also w바카라사이트t to know that the vendor is likely to remain in business for decades 바카라사이트d will be there to provide service 바카라사이트d maintain a supply of spare parts. 바카라사이트d, speaking of service, they w바카라사이트t it provided immediately – wherever 바카라사이트d whenever it is required. The size 바카라사이트d stability of Coherent, together with our extensive global service infrastructure, gives our customers the confidence that we will deliver on all these points, today 바카라사이트d in the future.

Learn more aboutCoherent products 바카라사이트d servicesfor the semiconductor industry.

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