Potentials and challenges for lithography beyond 193 nm optics

The growth of the semiconductor industry continues to be driven to a large extent by steady advances in microlithography. Renewal of the Semiconductor Industry Association Roadmap is underway and accelerating requirements are predicted. The 130 nm generation is anticipated to be available in the year 2003, but the path to get there is not obvious. To meet the needs of its members, SEMATECH is embarking on a program to explore and narrow the technology options on the roadmap. The goal is to make a data-driven decision by late 1997. As an introduction to this Special Session on 0.13 Micron Lithography for Manufacturing, this article reviews the Lithography Technology Working Group requirements and potential solutions for roadmaps. The SEMATECH program to narrow the options beyond 193 nm optics is presented in detail, including the critical issues for each technology. (C) 1997 American Vacuum Society.