The quest for finer semiconductor circuitry is driving the development of advanced lithography techniques. EUV lithography is pivotal in this pursuit, but its increasing complexity and cost have become a significant concern for manufacturers. To address these challenges, Applied Materials and Tokyo Electron have launched innovative equipment designed to streamline the EUV lithography process.

Tokyo Electron has recently unveiled its "Acrevia," a semiconductor device capable of modifying micro-circuit patterns. This tool leverages high energy to suppress surface damage by combining gas molecules during the EUV exposure process. It promises a variety of benefits, including a reduction in the use of EUV multi-patterning for upcoming nodes, enhanced line edge roughness to minimize performance variability, and a decrease in random lithography defects. Ultimately, these advancements aim to lower chip manufacturing costs and improve yields.

Utilizing its proprietary GCB technology, the Acrevia device achieves lower damage processing, enabling clients to downsize their equipment, increase production, and reduce the cost of EUV patterning. Post EUV exposure and etching, the device employs a direct beam to correct ultra-fine linewidths and shapes from arbitrary angles, controlling the exposure points on the wafer surface with a scanning beam tool. Tokyo Electron claims that the new equipment will improve pattern sidewall roughness and optimize the exposure process, thereby reducing defects that lead to yield degradation.

In 2023, Applied Materials developed the world's first "Centura Sculpta," an ion beam system that modifies circuits by adding or removing circuitry. The primary goal of this technology is also to shorten EUV lithography steps. Applied Materials anticipates that this innovation will reduce the production cost per wafer by more than $50.

Industry giants such as TSMC and Intel have already integrated this equipment into their EUV production lines, and Samsung Electronics is evaluating its performance in its 4nm process. Within a year of the Centura Sculpta's launch, Applied Materials reported sales of $200 million. The company forecasts that annual sales of EUV process reduction equipment will exceed $500 million starting this year, driven by increased demand from semiconductor manufacturers seeking to cut costs and boost production.

However, with Tokyo Electron's entry into the market, a fierce competition is inevitable. Both companies are poised to redefine the landscape of semiconductor manufacturing by pushing the boundaries of EUV lithography technology.