<title>Progress of excimer laser technologies</title>

Abstract

More than 1 ,000 units of KrF excimer laser steppers were already installed in semiconductor mass-production lines which require design rule of less than O.15.m. Higher NA lens compatibility, productivity and CoO become critical issues of KrF excimer laser stepper. Advanced 2kHz KrF excimer laser G2OK/G21K offers the solutions for these three issues. Next generation excimer laser ArF has already finished the stage of principle demonstration and has moved to next level of practical inspection, such as stability, productivity, and economic efficiency. Gigaphoton 4kHz ArF, G4OA, solved all of these issues. Furthermore sub-0. 1O.m design rule region F2 laser has been examined at several organizations. In March, 2000, Komatsu successfully developed 2kHz F2 laser for catadioptric projection optics by the fund of NEDO. Gigaphoton is ready to fabricate G2OF, 2kHz F2 laser, based upon the result of NEDO research.ASET started new F2 laser lithography development program