November 17, 2003 – Canon USA Inc.’s semiconductor equipment division thinks immersion lithography could replace super-high NA 193nm lithography for 65nm and 45nm production. “We are seriously evaluating 193nm immersion technology as a possible successor to our super-high NA (greater than 0.90) ArF exposure technology, and we believe it could be a winning solution in the very near future,” said Ray Morgan, strategic marketing manager for Canon USA.

“ArF immersion…enables the use of current reticle technology and the adaptation of current resist technology, while providing a much shorter 134nm wavelength compared to 157nm exposure technology,” said Akiyoshi Suzuki, of Canon’s core technology development group. However, the maturity of 157nm systems is also a factor in deciding how to pursue immersion, along with timing and costs, he said.