Imec, a prominent research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies based in LEUVEN, Belgium, has recently forged a strategic partnership with Mitsui Chemicals, a leading Japanese chemical company and EUV pellicle supplier. The collaboration aims to focus on the commercialization of carbon-nanotube (CNT) based pellicles for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. By integrating imec’s fundamental CNT-based pellicle innovation into Mitsui Chemicals’ CNT pellicle technology, the partnership intends to achieve full production specifications targeting introduction into high-power EUV systems in the 2025-2026 timeframe.
During the signing of the partnership agreement in Tokyo at Semicon Japan 2023, both parties committed to jointly developing the membrane and EUV pellicle, consulting on EUV scanner validation for commercialization at Mitsui Chemicals. These pellicles are designed to protect the photomask from contamination during EUV exposure and possess critical properties such as extremely high EUV transmittance (≧ 94%), very low EUV reflectance, and minimal optical influence. These properties are essential for achieving high yield and throughput in advanced semiconductor manufacturing. Additionally, the CNT pellicles are capable of withstanding EUV power levels beyond 1kW, supporting the future EUV source roadmap (>600W). Notably, these properties have garnered strong interest from companies using EUV lithography in high-volume manufacturing, prompting both parties to collaborate on developing industry-ready CNT pellicles to meet market requirements.
Steven Scheer, Senior Vice President Advanced Patterning, Process and Materials at imec, expressed confidence in the partnership's potential, citing imec's extensive knowledge of CNT membranes, metrology, characterization, properties, and performance. He anticipates that this expertise will accelerate Mitsui Chemicals’ product development, ultimately leading to the production of CNT pellicles for future generations of EUV lithography.
The timing of the lithography roadmap aligns with the projection for introducing new pellicles in the 2025-2026 timeframe, coinciding with the support of next-generation ASML 0.33NA EUV lithography systems for light sources with power levels of 600W and higher. This period is associated with the insertion of logic technology nodes beyond 2nm.
