December 18, 2001 — SAN JOSE, CA — Canon U.S.A., Inc., a subsidiary of Canon Inc., announced that its semiconductor production equipment group has started accepting orders for its newest 300 mm-compatible lithography tool set — the FPA-5000AS3 ArF scanner, FPA-5000ES4 KrF scanner and FPA-5500iX i-line stepper.
“The timely introduction of this new tool set allows our customers to move quickly to the 100 nm node, using either 200 mm or 300 mm wafers,” said Naoki Ayata, vice president and general manager, semiconductor equipment division, Canon U.S.A
The 193 nm Canon FPA-5000AS3 scanner, which incorporates high-purity calcium fluoride lens technology within its projection optics system, features a newly developed low aberration 4:1 reduction projection lens with a high 0.75 NA (numerical aperture). The 248 nm FPA-5000ES4 scanner, with an extremely low aberration 4:1 reduction 0.80NA projection lens, realizes ultra-high-resolution 0.12-micron patterning. Within the same compact footprint as its ES3 predecessor, the ES4’s platform incorporates several features that enhance overlay and CD uniformity.
The Canon FPA-5500iX i-line stepper, for less critical-layers, has a newly developed 2x reduction ratio and 0.37 NA lens for imaging a 50 mm x 50 mm single-exposure image field. Used with a 4.5kW ultra-high-pressure mercury lamp, the tool accommodates throughputs of 120 wph on 300 mm, and 160 wph on 200 mm wafers. The new i-line model is a mix-and-match companion for the two new scanners.
Officials say all three new Canon lithography tools, compatible with reticle SMIF as well as automation features increasingly required for 300 mm manufacturing processes, enable the creation of a mini-environment for improved reticle contamination control, more efficient use of cleanroom space and higher productivity.
The semiconductor equipment division of Canon U.S.A., based in San Jose, California, supplies step-and-repeat and step-and-scan photolithography tools for making integrated circuits including MR and GMR thin film heads for hard disk drives, and large active matrix liquid crystal flat panel displays.