Corning has introduced a groundbreaking material called Extreme ULE glass, specifically designed to meet the high demands of next-generation EUV lithography systems. This innovative glass boasts ultra-low thermal expansion and remarkable flatness, which are crucial for improving chip production efficiency by addressing photomask waviness issues.
The Extreme ULE glass is set to revolutionize next-gen photomasks and lithography mirrors, essential components in advanced fabrication tools. Its standout feature, the ultra-low thermal expansion, ensures remarkable consistency for photomask use. Additionally, its exceptional flatness plays a critical role in minimizing “photomask waviness,” thus reducing unwanted variations in chip production.
EUV lithography systems use a plasma source to generate extremely intense EUV light, producing a significant amount of heat in the process. Although most heat is confined to the source chamber, some is transferred to the photomask via sophisticated lithography mirrors, making them heat-sensitive. The photomasks, composed of multilayer reflective materials, mainly reflect EUV radiation while still absorbing a small percentage of it, resulting in some excess thermal load.
As EUV tools advance to process more wafers per hour, they incorporate more powerful light sources, which subjects pellicles, photomasks, and photoresists to increased levels of EUV radiation and heat. Corning’s Extreme ULE glass, an evolution of the classic ULE family, provides the thermal stability and uniformity crucial for forthcoming high-NA and upcoming low-NA EUV tools.
Claude Echahamian, Vice President & General Manager of Corning Advanced Optics, emphasized the importance of glass innovation in the escalating demands of integrated chip production with the rise of artificial intelligence. He stated, “Extreme ULE Glass will expand Corning’s vital role in the ongoing pursuit of Moore’s Law by helping enable higher-powered EUV manufacturing as well as higher yield.”
