Mapper Lithography Holding B.V.

Maskless Lithography with 22 Nanometer Resolution and Above

The project at the Technopolis Moscow will launch a production line for one of the most science-intensive components of MAPPER equipment—electron optical lens elements using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Electron optics is a key aspect of MAPPER technology and the Russian enterprise will be MAPPER’s only production unit providing for all of the parent company’s needs in electron optical lens elements.

Lithography is the central process in the production of integrated circuits, semiconductor devices and some superconducting nanostructures.

The objective of the project is to complete design work and launch the production of lithography equipment with resolution of 22 nanometers and above. The Dutch company Mapper Lithography has been working on maskless electronbeam lithography for more than 10 years and already has several industrial prototypes, which have been purchased and tested by leading players in the industry—TSMC (Taiwan) and CEA-Leti Microelectronics Research Institute (France).

The current optical immersion lithography technique currently offers resolution of about 32 nanometers. Various additional technologies (e.g. multiple patterning) allow increase of optical lithography resolution to 22 nanometers and probably above, but they involve a huge increase in price and in the cost of technology ownership.

Maskless lithography using beam technology (electron-beam lithography or “E-beam”) offers an alternative approach and is one of the main contenders to be the next-generation lithography technique.

Areas of Application

• Microelectronics, Semiconductor equipment

Market

• Microelectronics manufacturers, particularly manufacturers of CPU, SoC and memories

Competitive Advantages

The technology dispenses with lithographic masks, thereby:

• Reducing the cost of ownership and production
• Making the equipment more compact