ASML’s high-NA EUV scanners are nearing readiness for volume-production tests. Imaging performance, throughput and availability are all approaching target specifications, a spokesperson confirmed following reporting by Reuters. It will still take another two to three years for chipmakers to move the next-gen lithography tool into high-volume production, however.
The news marks a step forward from Intel’s completion of customer acceptance testing of an EXE:5200B last December. After customer acceptance, the tool may still be down for relatively long periods for adjustments or repairs. This precludes testing for production. With an 80-percent uptime and plans to achieve 90 percent by the end of the year, that situation has now changed.
ASML previously laid out a three-phase insertion schedule for high-NA. In phase 1, customers perform R&D in Veldhoven or on their own R&D tool, the EXE:5000. Throughput and availability are not critical in this phase. Next, ASML’s customers will start running 1-2 layers to test its readiness for volume manufacturing. Finally, they design in high NA on their most critical layers and run volume manufacturing. We’re now in phase 2.
