Molecular Imprints’ Technology Roadmap for the Imprio family of Step and Repeat tools is found in Figure One. The roadmap focuses on the three critical criteria customers require to remain on their product roadmaps: critical dimension, overlay, and throughput.
For critical dimension, Molecular Imprints’ Jet and Flash™ Imprint Lithography (J-FIL™) systems rely upon the mask to provide critical dimension. Typically, electron beam mask pattern generators are well ahead of virtually all semiconductor product roadmaps. Consequently, for the first time in the history of semiconductor lithography, feature size reduction is independent of tool cost. Traditionally, feature size reduction meant wavelength reduction, which meant high cost lithography systems.
Molecular Imprints has developed unique alignment/overlay systems which have the potential to achieve the necessary mix-and-match overlay with 193nm lithography systems.
The J-FIL imprint module, compared to 193nm systems lenses and laser sources, is extraordinarily compact and inexpensive. Consequently, imprint modules can be clustered much like etch and deposition chambers. This has already been demonstrated on our Imprio HD2200 system for patterned media, which has 4 imprint modules.
With the introduction of the Generation 1 HVM system in 2011, Molecular Imprints will collaborate with customers regarding clustered configurations for availability in 2013 with throughputs comparable to double patterning optical and EUV offerings.
Figure One: Molecular Imprints Semiconductor Technology Roadmap
