Schott Lithotec to Upgrade Mask Blanks for EUV Lithography

Under a one-year agreement, Schott Lithotec AG of Jena, Germany, will supply International Sematech of Austin, Texas, with mask blanks for use in extreme-UV lithography. The company will follow defined specifications for the improvements and expects to advance its own EUV products and activities in the process. This type of lithography may be the generation following optical lithography. The technology results in a shorter wavelength of 13.5 nm that enables the fabrication of semiconductors with structures less than 45 nm wide.

A subsidiary of the German company, Schott Lithotec USA Corp. of Delaware, has acquired access to patents in EUV lithography and rights to research results through a license agreement with a US consortium of semiconductor manufacturers, Extreme Ultraviolet LLC. The interests plan to develop photomask blanks and to offer them as commercially operating pilot products by 2006. Schott will provide the blanks to consortium members, which include IBM, Intel, Motorola, Advanced Micro Devices, Micron Technology and Infineon Technologies, for the production of patterned masks.