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Project

Creating Sub-18 nm pitch EUV lithography and plasma etch transfer processes for next-generation device technologies

The study is a PhD position at KU Leuven in collaboration with imec, Heverlee. The topic of the position is 'Creating sub 18-nanometer pitch EUV lithography and plasma etch transfer processes for next-generation device technologies '. There are two main facets to this project - 'Lithography' and 'Plasma etch transfer process'. Both of these lie at the heart of semiconductor manufacturing for information and communications technology (ICT) devices. Until recently, mass production of ICT devices was conducted using deep ultraviolet light (DUV); however, the push for smaller and faster components and devices has led the ICT industry to pursue extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography as a viable means of production. This comprises the lithography aspect of the project. Thin resists are needed to image these small features that then create challenges for the plasma etch processes that are used to transfer the circuitry into the material layer needed to form the device. This constitutes the plasma etch transfer part of the project. This multifaceted PhD project aims to peer into the imaging processes and resist materials needed for both the EUV lithography and etch processes. The project will use the High Harmonic Generated (HHG)-based EUV sources within the newly installed imec AttoLab for lithography to develop an imaging process of a representative test environment needed to develop materials for sub-18 nanometer plasma etch processes. The project will build upon established techniques for interference lithography to research and develop new techniques for spatial and temporal coherence beam alignment needed for enhanced interference imaging and for controlling pattern placement of those interference patterns so that we may insert test patterns into active device areas for pattern transfer by imec’s etch R&D team.

Date:12 Oct 2021 →  Today
Keywords:Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV), Lithography, Interference Lithography, Etching, Photoresist
Disciplines:Nonlinear optics and spectroscopy, Nanoelectronics, Nanofabrication, growth and self assembly, Chemistry of plasmas, Nanoscale characterisation
Project type:PhD project