Gigaphoton, a provider of lithography light sources, has announced the delivery of its 1,000th excimer laser for photolithography applications in semiconductor fabrication.
The GT63A line, a future-generation ArF excimer laser of Gigaphoton for applications in multi-patterning immersion lithography scanners, delivers added value to the customers’ demand by integrating the features of four ‘s’ lines include sMONITORING (smart monitoring), sMPL (spectrum multi-positioning LNM), sTGM (supreme total gas manager) and sGRYCOS (sixty Gigaphoton recycled chamber operation system).
sMONITORING is a monitoring process for ensuring higher stability and sMPL is a technology to control the spectrum for attaining a broader focus depth, while sTGM is a gas control system for attaining higher uptime and sGRYCOS is a novel chamber process for ensuring minimal process cost. The features of these s series can be integrated into current GT60A, GT61A and GT62A in order to fine-tune them based on customer requirements having the GT63A series as their common platform.
The sMONITORING technology efficiently monitors laser performance in real time and is compatible with fault detection and classification for achieving steady operation. The sMPL technology for focus drilling achieves a wider focus depth by widening laser spectrum control 10 folds more than the traditional one, expanding sophisticated process development options in both memory and logic markets. The sTGM technology uses a novel wavelength calibration technique that avoids the customary replacement of gas in the laser chamber, thus enhancing laser availability and reducing facility expenditures and gas wastage. The operating life of the laser chamber, the excimer laser’s critical component, can be extended by the sGRYCOS technology to 1.5 folds when compared to a typical chamber.