Abstract
The difficulty of EUV lithography system development has prolonged the industry’s dependence on ArF excimer lasers to realize further advancements in lithography process technologies. Smaller CD with reduced cost requires tighter specifications, and the potential extension to 450mm wafers introduces extremely difficult performance challenges on lasers. One of the most important features of the next generation lasers will be the ability to support green operations while further improving cost of ownership and performance. For example, electricity consumption costs and the dependence on rare gases, such as neon and helium, will become critical considerations for HVM process going forward. As a laser vendor, Gigaphoton continues to innovate and develop solutions that address these important issues. The latest model GT64A with its field-proven, twin-chamber platform has reduced environmental impact while upgrading performance and power. A variety of green technologies are employed on the GT64A. The first is the reduction of gas usage. Parameters, such as input power and gas pressure are closely monitored during operations and fed back to the injection/exhaust gas controller system. By applying a special algorithm, the laser gas consumption can be reduced by up to 50%. More than 96% of the gas used by the lasers is neon. Another rare gas that requires attention is Helium. Recently the unstable supply of helium became a serious worldwide issue. To cope with this situation, Gigaphoton is developing lasers that support completely helium-free operations.
