Nanotechnology Now - Press Release: SK hynix Joins SEMATECH’s EUVL Mask Infrastructure (EMI) Partnership at UAlbany NanoCollege: Collaborative effort to pursue critical metrology gaps to enable defect-free extreme ultraviolet lithography masks for high-volume manufacturing

Home > Press > SK hynix Joins SEMATECH’s EUVL Mask Infrastructure (EMI) Partnership at UAlbany NanoCollege: Collaborative effort to pursue critical metrology gaps to enable defect-free extreme ultraviolet lithography masks for high-volume manufacturing

Abstract:
SEMATECH announced today that SK hynix, a world-leading memory supplier offering dynamic random access memory chips (DRAMs) and flash memory chips, has joined SEMATECH's EMI Partnership to develop critical metrology tools for reviewing defects in advanced masks needed for extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL).

SK hynix Joins SEMATECH’s EUVL Mask Infrastructure (EMI) Partnership at UAlbany NanoCollege: Collaborative effort to pursue critical metrology gaps to enable defect-free extreme ultraviolet lithography masks for high-volume manufacturing

Albany, NY | Posted on September 19th, 2012

SEMATECH launched EMI in 2010 to address key infrastructure gaps for EUV in the area of mask metrology, by funding development of critical metrology tools. The EMI Partnership facilitates consensus building among the EMI partners, providing crucial data, insightful analysis, and a discussion forum for reaching conclusive agreements.

"Cooperation across the industry in order to meet the stringent requirements of the embedded industry is critical for semiconductor manufacturers," said Sungjoo Hong, Senior Vice President and Head of the R&D Division of SK hynix. "By joining SEMATECH's EMI Partnership and collaborating with industry-leading partners, we expect to play a key role in accelerating the commercialization of EUV technology by supporting the development of critical metrology tools to enable defect free masks."

"EUV mask defectivity is one of the single greatest challenges to EUV readiness, but finding the defects requires metrology tools that do not yet exist," said Stefan Wurm, director of lithography, SEMATECH. "We are excited by this opportunity to partner with a leading memory maker like SK hynix. With such partnerships, SEMATECH is continuing our commitment to develop and deliver the infrastructure required for this critical next-generation technology."

SEMATECH and Carl Zeiss are developing and plan to manufacture the industry's first-ever actinic aerial image metrology (AIMS™) EUV system, targeted for EUVL volume production. The AIMS™ EUV platform represents a critical tool for the development and manufacturing of defect-free EUVL masks. The tool by design supports the 16 nm half-pitch (HP) technology node requirements and will extend to future semiconductor manufacturing nodes. A first production-worthy version of the platform is scheduled for mid-2014.

EMI is administered by SEMATECH's Lithography Program, based at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) of the University at Albany. EMI is open to mask and chip-makers, mask blank suppliers, other consortia, and regional governments.

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About SEMATECH
SEMATECH®, the international consortium of leading semiconductor device, equipment, and materials manufacturers, this year celebrates 25 years of excellence in accelerating the commercialization of technology innovations into manufacturing solutions. Through our unwavering commitment to foster collaboration across the nanoelectronics industry, we help our members and partners address critical industry transitions, drive technical consensus, pull research into the industry mainstream, improve manufacturing productivity, and reduce risk and time to market. Information about SEMATECH can be found at www.sematech.org or follow us on Twitter @sematechnews.

About EMI Partnership

Established in February 2010, the EUVL Mask Infrastructure (EMI) Partnership was launched to develop critical metrology tools, considered too costly for individual companies to develop independently. EMI addresses the metrology gap by funding the development of metrology tools for detecting and assessing defects in advanced masks needed for extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL).

About SK hynix Inc.

SK hynix Inc., Korea, is the world’s top tier semiconductor supplier offering Dynamic Random Access Memory chips (“DRAM”), Flash memory chips ("NAND Flash") and CMOS Image Sensors ("CIS") for a wide range of distinguished customers globally. The Company’s shares are traded on the Korea Exchange, and the Global Depository shares are listed on the Luxemburg Stock Exchange. Further information about SK hynix is available at www.skhynix.com.

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518-649-1193

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