By Bob Haavind, Editorial Director, Solid State Technology

Tough challenges facing process tool vendors as the industry moves toward sub-45nm chip features will require imaginative solutions. An analysis relating important application trends to process tool requirements was presented by Masayuki Tomoyasu, director of development and planning for Tokyo Electron Ltd. (TEL), who then proposed a wide range of potential solutions for toolmakers.

The biggest problem facing toolmakers is that R&D requirements will rise rapidly as sub-45nm chipmaking calls for new materials and processes and even device structures. At the same time, chipmakers are requiring increased productivity and higher yields for diverse-purpose tools, according to Tomoyasu. How can these escalating requirements be met with affordable R&D investments?

That’s a possibly insurmountable challenge for any single company, he suggested, but he described a number of emerging and potential collaboration modes that might improve results within budget constraints….