EUVA Purchases Further DPSS Lasers for EUV Source Development

Staff -- Semiconductor International, 4/9/2008 10:33:00 PM

Powerlase Ltd. (Crawley, UK), which manufactures powerful nanosecond Q-switched, diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) lasers, today announced a further purchase of its Starlase AO8 lasers by the Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography System Development Association (EUVA, Kawasaki-City, Japan). The lasers will be used by the EUVA for continued research into next-generation semiconductor manufacturing.

The EUVA is working to perfect the use of discharge-produced plasma (DPP) sources for EUV lithography. DPP and laser-produced plasma (LPP) sources are both being considered still for EUV lithography development. According to Powerlase, the Starlase is the only commercial laser capable of producing the high-power, high-repetition source used to ignite DPP.

“The requirement for a viable EUVL technology is becoming increasingly important, as traditional techniques reach the end of their lifespan,” said Samir Ellwi, Powerlase’s vice president of strategic technology, in a statement. “As such, we are very pleased to begin a new phase of research with the EUVA. The continued partnership will ensure the deadline for the creation of a 32 nm technique is achieved.”

The deal with EUVA is the latest in a string of partnerships Powerlase has undertaken in EUV lithography, and the company is currently involved in research projects with the University of Central Florida (UCF, Orlando) and University College Dublin (UCD).