Canon is Developing Semiconductor Lithography Equipment Employing Nanoimprint Technology
February 23 2015 - 10:17AM
Business Wire
Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today
announced that its parent company, Canon Inc., is developing a
next-generation semiconductor lithography system employing
nanoimprint technology that makes possible sub-20 nm1
high-resolution processes. Within the leading-edge high-resolution
patterning segment, where 193 nm multiple patterning has become
mainstream and EUV (extreme ultraviolet)2 continues to remain in
development, in 2004, Canon began conducting research into
nanoimprint technology to achieve sub-20 nm high-resolution
processes. Since 2009, targeting the mass production of
next-generation semiconductor lithography systems employing
nanoimprint technology, Canon Inc. has accelerated joint
development efforts with Canon Nanotechnologies, Inc., which joined
the Canon Group in April 2014, and a major semiconductor
manufacturer. Thanks to such technological advances as the
development of defect control technologies and improvements in
alignment accuracy, Canon is aiming to commercialize a nanoimprint
lithography system in 2015.
The nanoimprint semiconductor production
system currently under development (Photo: Business Wire)
High-resolution imprint of uniform circuit patterns
In nanoimprint lithography, a mold is brought into direct
contact with the resist material on the substrate surface, a
pattern transfer process that enables the accurate transfer of the
mold’s pattern and makes possible higher resolution and more
uniform results compared with conventional optical lithographic
approaches.3 In addition, unlike optical lithography tools,
nanoimprint semiconductor production equipment does not require the
use of a light source or high-aperture lens elements, making
possible simple configurations and compact designs that enable
users to install a cluster of systems for increased
productivity.
Lower CoO (Cost of Ownership)4 through greatly
reduced production costs
Compared with conventional optical lithography equipment,
nanoimprint lithography delivers greatly reduced production costs
for semiconductor devices, responding to the high-level demands of
semiconductor manufacturers seeking to reduce CoO for
high-resolution semiconductor devices. Canon’s nanoimprint
semiconductor lithography system currently under development will
initially target memory device manufacturers producing flash
memory. In the future, the Company will aim to apply this
technology in the production of DRAM and logic devices.
Canon is planning to present its development progress for the
nanoimprint lithography system at the SPIE Advanced Lithography
2015 conference, to be held from February 22 to 26 in San Jose,
California, U.S.A.
About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer,
business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions to
the United States and to Latin America and the Caribbean (excluding
Mexico) markets. With approximately $31 billion in global revenue,
its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), ranked third overall in
U.S. patents granted in 2014† and is one of Fortune Magazine's
World’s Most Admired Companies in 2014. In 2014, Canon U.S.A.
received the PCMag.com Readers’ Choice Award for Service and
Reliability in the digital camera and printer categories for the
11th consecutive year. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest
level of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent
U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it
distributes. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of
social and environmental responsibility. In 2014, the Canon
Americas Headquarters secured LEED® Gold certification, a
recognition for the design, construction, operations and
maintenance of high-performance green buildings. To keep apprised
of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS
news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss and follow us on
Twitter @CanonUSA.
† Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent
and Trademark Office.
1 One nm (nanometer)=one billionth of a meter 2 EUV
lithography is a next-generation lithography technology that uses
an extreme ultraviolet wavelength expected to be 13.5 nm. 3
Semiconductor lithography equipment that employs large-aperture
lenses and uses light from a laser to transfer circuit patterns
onto a wafer. 4 Necessary equipment investments and operating costs
related to semiconductor production. Used as one of the benchmarks
for assessing the productivity of processes and production
equipment used in a semiconductor manufacturer’s high-volume
production line.
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http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20150223005915/en/
Editorial:Canon
U.S.A., Inc.Siobhan Cullagh, 631.330.4602scullagh@cusa.canon.comorEmily Moran,
631.330.2403emmoran@cusa.canon.comorCanon U.S.A. Web
site:http://www.usa.canon.comorFor sales
information/customer support:1-800-OK-CANON
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