New tools for nanotechnology

Abstract

The article provides an overview of recent developments in nano-lithography for high-volume chip production. The need for Mask-Less Lithography (ML2) is outlined in particular for rapid prototyping of chips and for the fabrication of ASICs (Application Integrated Circuits), SoC (System on Chips), logic circuits and other low and medium volume production integrated circuits (ICs). A short overview of current ML2 development efforts in Europe, Japan and the US is given. The IMS Nanofabrication concept of Projection Mask-Less Lithography (PML2) and the corresponding MEDEA+ 7"409 EUREKA project are explained. Then a short introduction to Micro@Nano-technologies is provided, pointing out that ion beam techniques offer unique opportunities for combining "'top-down" direct-structuring and modification of materials and surfaces with "bottom-up" self-assembly techniques as needed for a variety of promising Micro@Nano technology application fields. The IMS Nanofabrication PROFIB (Projection Focused Ion multi-Beam tool) concept is outlined. This concept is an integral part of the Micro@Nano-FabricationAustria (MNFA) initiative, which will be presented at the end of this paper. Both novel tools for nanotechnology, PML2 and PROFIB, are based on 200× reduction large-field particle optics at the core of the IMS Micro@Nano Platform Technology. Keywords: mask-less lithography; ion beam micro-and nano-technology Neue Tools f~Jr die Nanotechnologie. Am Beginn dieses Artikels werden die Entwicklungen im Bereich der Nanolithograpie fLir die Produktion von integrierten Schaltkreisen mit grol3en Sti3ckzahlen dargestellt. FLir die Chip-Prototypenentwicklung und f~ir die Produktion von kundenspezifischen SoC(System on