High-NA EUV vs Multi-Patterning: The 2nm Decision Nobody Wants to Price
Every leading-edge fab that plans to ship a 2nm-class node in the next three years is having the same argument behind closed doors. The question is not whether High-NA EUV works. It works, it is installed, and it exposes features that low-NA systems can only reach with multiple passes. The question is whether the fourth and fifth patterning pass costs more than the tool does, and the honest…
High-resolution Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) scanners and multi-patterning techniques are being debated as methods to achieve 2nm-class nodes. EUV scanners offer smaller resolution, enabling fewer patterning passes, while multi-patterning buys resolution over multiple steps. However, both approaches come with their own set of costs.
High-NA EUV scanners can print features as small as 8nm, compared to 13nm for low-NA systems, due to their higher numerical aperture. However, this comes at a cost. High-NA optics use anamorphic magnification, resulting in a smaller exposure field, and require thicker resist stacks. This increases the cost per layer by adding extra process steps and metrology checks, and increases yield loss due to overlay error accumulation.
On the other hand, multi-patterning involves multiple patterning passes to achieve the desired resolution. While it does add additional steps (deposition, etch, clean, and metrology), it still requires fewer overall passes than High-NA EUV scanners. However, the cost of these additional steps can add up, especially in terms of process time and yield loss.
Financially, High-NA scanners are significantly more expensive upfront, ranging from $350 to $400 million, compared to $180 to $220 million for low-NA systems. However, the true cost of High-NA EUV scanners becomes apparent when considering the steps that are eliminated. With fewer patterning passes, the overall cycle time is reduced, leading to lower working capital costs. This is particularly important for fabs with high wafer-throughput, as the reduction in the number of passes translates to significant cost savings.
In conclusion, both High-NA EUV scanners and multi-patterning techniques have their benefits and drawbacks. While High-NA EUV scanners offer smaller feature sizes and fewer patterning passes, they come with higher upfront costs and additional process steps. Multi-patterning, on the other hand, requires fewer overall passes but adds complexity in terms of design and yield loss. Ultimately, the decision between the two will depend on the specific needs and capabilities of each fab.
Written by urgent.news from Dev.to's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
