"How do you know that using ArF technology will cause more line edge fluctuations and irregularities?
Regarding the ArF technology roadmap, it is available in IEEE magazines, but the papers published by engineers from Nikon and Canon only talked about the benefits and not the drawbacks. Lin Benjian asked in surprise.
Zhou Xin said: “In order to mislead competitors, Nikon and Canon deliberately did not talk about the shortcomings of the ArF technology route.
The purpose is to let competitors also step into this pit.
They have invested a large amount of R&D funds in the ArF technology route, but have not found a way to solve the line edge fluctuation and irregularity problems caused by ArF light sources, so they believe that other competitors cannot solve this problem. "
Lin Benjian nodded silently: "That's right.
That's it. "
Zhou Xin continued: "Isn't this a routine operation in the integrated circuit field to mislead competitors on the technical route?"
Lin Benjian is still very curious. He knows the shortcomings of the ArF technical route because he has been engaged in research in this field for more than 20 years and has a large number of contacts.
Due to the confidentiality agreement, his friends could not tell him directly. They could only reveal to him through hints that the ArF technical route had major flaws.
He was just guessing about this, a guess without evidence.
Why can Zhou Xin be so confident and explain the shortcomings of ArF's technical route so clearly?
You need to know the laboratories that are qualified to conduct ArF technology route experiments, which are only a few photolithography machine companies.
After drinking water, Zhou Xin Tactics said: "Lin Bo, I know what you are thinking. Did I bribe Nikon's technicians and obtain technical secrets from them.
In fact, the shortcomings of ArF's technical route can be easily deduced.
The wavelength of the ArF light source is 193 nanometers, which is shorter than the 248 nanometer wavelength of the KrF light source. Short-wavelength light sources will obviously be affected by more severe scattering, diffraction and optical near-field effects during the photolithography process, resulting in increased line edge fluctuations and irregularities during pattern transmission.
At the same time, lithography technology using ArF light sources is used in more advanced process nodes, which results in the need for higher resolution wafers.
As dimensions shrink, pattern edges during photolithography are more susceptible to factors such as optical near-field effects, diffraction, and photoresist absorption, resulting in line edge fluctuations and irregularities.
This is an inference based on physical knowledge. "
Lin Benjian applauded, “Wonderful deduction and keen insight.
When Zhengming told me that he had found a genius student from Yanda, I was still thinking about how talented he was that made him so proud.
Your talent in this area is even better than I guessed.
What you just said was missing two points.
One point is that the wavelength of the ArF light source is more easily absorbed by the photoresist, which will lead to uneven exposure of the photoresist, thereby affecting the imaging quality. Therefore, it is necessary to design a special photoresist specifically for ArF light source.
However, if a photoresist is designed specifically for ArF light sources to reduce absorption, the new photoresist is likely to further cause line edge fluctuations and irregularities.
In addition, ArF is used to build advanced processes, which will use multiple exposure technology, phase shift mask technology and polarized light technology.
These techniques will increase line edge fluctuations and irregularities to a certain extent.
So there are more reasons for lineside fluctuations than you might guess. "
Zhou Xin asked: "But with so many difficulties, why are you still optimistic about the ArF route, senior?"
How did Zhou Xin know that Lin Benjian was optimistic about the ArF technology route? Because Lin Benjian said it himself when he was interviewed at the Optics Conference.
"Are you covering up for the photolithography machine company?"
Lin Benjian smiled: "I have resigned from IBM, and IBM has hardly continued to invest in the field of lithography machines in recent years.
I don't work for Nikon or Canon, so why should I cover for them?
Of course, I am more optimistic about the ArF technical route from my heart.
What we just talked about are the shortcomings of ArF, and these shortcomings are only temporary.
There are also many difficulties in the process of replacing g-line and i-line with KrF light source. "
The g-line is a light source with a wavelength of 436nm, and the i-line is a light source with a wavelength of 365nm.
“Compared to the g-line and i-line, KrF requires new photoresist and anti-reflective coating materials to adapt to the characteristics of the KrF light source.
At the same time, KrF requires higher performance optical systems and photomask materials. More advanced lenses and optical components were needed to achieve higher numerical apertures and resolutions.
In addition, photomask materials also need to have lower scattering and absorption properties.
KrF also needs to optimize the exposure process to improve imaging quality. We mainly used double exposure and off-focus exposure techniques to reduce lithography errors.
Let me think about it, by the way, when we were developing the KrF light source, we also had to consider control. Because KrF achieves higher resolution, it requires stricter process control requirements.
More precise control of photoresist coating thickness, exposure dose, development process and other parameters is needed to ensure photolithography imaging quality and throughput.
We overcame so many difficulties, and finally the KrF light source replaced the g-line and i-line and became today's most advanced process light source.
Similarly, in the future, short-wavelength light sources will inevitably replace long-wavelength light sources. This is an inevitable result of technological progress.
The difficulties we have just discussed are only temporary difficulties. "
ASML, Nikon and Canon have only suspended investment in ArF, rather than stopping investment in the ArF technology route.
Later, ASML achieved overtaking in a corner because they chose the correct technical route. The ArF light source uses water as the medium and applies a layer of water on the photoresist.
The medium refractive index of water is 1.44, 193 nanometers ÷ 1.44 ≈ 134 nanometers, and the wavelength of the ArF light source is further reduced.
ASML was able to kill Nikon and Canon and monopolize the field of lithography machines. They made the right choice at two key nodes in the technology route.
When they should be stable, they are more stable than Nikon, thus gaining a firm foothold in the photolithography machine market.
When they should be aggressive, they were more aggressive than Nikon, thus occupying the high-end market, eating up all the high profits, and subsequently maintaining their technological leadership.
After the ArF technology breakthrough, the wavelength of ArF is 193nm, and it can manufacture chips up to 65nm.
If you want to manufacture chips with a process below 40nm, you need to find a light source below 160nm.
Companies such as Nikon and Canon chose the 157nm F2 laser, but ASML found the light source as the medium and got it right in one step.
Of course it’s not as simple as adding a layer of water.
“I have always believed that there is a solution to the ArF technical route.
The first is to design a photoresist specifically for the ArF light source, the second is to develop an anti-reflective coating, and then to improve the optical system of the photolithography machine and find Zeiss to customize more advanced lenses.
to achieve higher numerical aperture and resolution.
At the same time, optimization is performed during the exposure process. I designed a set of resolution enhancement techniques specifically for ArF light sources.
Including auxiliary features, off-axis illumination, double exposure technology, etc. to improve pattern transmission quality and increase resolution. "Lin Benjian is very excited. It is rare to see a colleague who understands ArF technology so well.
Others who knew this stuff had signed confidentiality agreements, and Lin Benjian had a very unhappy chat with them.
China is not only lacking in photolithography machines, it is also inferior in the entire high-end manufacturing industry. Even if it can build photolithography machines, the optical lenses can still jam your neck.
However, Zeiss is a German company and is not listed on the market. Americen's long-arm jurisdiction cannot control Zeiss.
After listening to this, Zhou Xin felt that the other party was indeed a master, and he already had a complete plan before joining TSMC.
For the same thing, some people talk about it on paper, while some people win the battle thousands of miles away.
Hua's values are result-oriented. Zhou Xin knew Lin Benjian's future achievements, not to mention that what Lin Benjian said was absolutely solid.
After discussing the future of the ArF technology route with Lin Benjian, Zhou Xin asked: "Uncle Lin, I plan to set up a lithography machine company, and I need people who really know the industry to help me.
Are you willing to help me? The position I give you is R&D.
The first batch of R&D funds is one billion US dollars. I will give you 20% of the shares, but you will need to sign a non-competition agreement after joining. At the same time, our lithography machine company will be located in China. "
After hearing the first half of the sentence, Lin Benjian wanted to agree immediately. One billion US dollars in R&D funds and 20% of the shares.
What kind of trust is this? With just one billion US dollars in R&D funds, this company is worth at least US$1 billion.
Just give you 200 million directly.
After hearing the second half of the sentence, his heart dropped: "Newman, I know you are from China, and I hope to help China develop in the semiconductor field.
I am also of Chinese descent. If I have the ability and opportunity, I also hope to contribute to the development and progress of China's semiconductor industry.
However, the research and development of lithography machines relies heavily on cooperation with chip manufacturers.
There are no mature chip manufacturers in China. If we put our R&D base in China, it will be difficult to make progress.
Regardless of whether I agree to your conditions or not, I suggest you put it in Wanwan or Americen.
Wanwan has TSMC, and Americen has Intel's chip foundry.
In these two places, you have the opportunity to fully experiment with your product in a production environment. "
ASML's R&D centers are located around the world.
Zhou Xin said: "Zhang Rujing of Shida Semiconductor is preparing to return to China to establish a chip foundry.
Their site, funding and team are all in place.
In our early preparation stage and laboratory research and development stage, we do not need to cooperate with foundries during this period.
Our progress will be slower than that of Zhang Rujing. Once our laboratory products are developed, we can send them to them for verification.
We only had the opportunity to enter Zhang Rujing's chip foundry when it was just starting out.
Whether it is TSMC, Intel or Samsung, it is difficult for them to give a newly established lithography machine company a chance.
Let our laboratory products be integrated into their production processes.
On the contrary, in my opinion, China is where the opportunity lies. We need to rely on China's foundries to make a name for ourselves, and then we have the opportunity to cooperate with other chip foundries.
This is also a way of encircling the city from the countryside. "
Why is China's photolithography machine a laboratory product? Because it has not been fully verified in a production environment.
Therefore, ASML's embargo against China is a good thing in a sense. Without the embargo, China's independently developed lithography machines would never have the opportunity to enter the production process.
Lin Benjian said: "How many people does the photolithography company you want to establish now have?"
Zhou Xin said: "You are the first one, you are responsible for setting up the R&D team, and you are the R&D director.
I will give you complete trust and autonomy.
I will only give my suggestions and thoughts in the direction of research and development. "
Lin Benjian was a little speechless after hearing this. To put it bluntly, there was only money and no people.
“I need time to think.
Newman, since you invited me, I don't mind speaking more directly.
For a lithography machine company, a billion dollars may only be an initial investment in R&D. If we cannot achieve breakeven early and cannot manufacture a lithography machine that can enter the production environment.
In the future, you will need to continue to invest in research and development expenses, or directly dissolve the company.
Therefore, US$1 billion is just the ticket. Relying on products to break even means that this lithography machine company has survived.
Secondly, even if we set up a company, there are still many patents that cannot be bypassed and we need to buy the patent usage rights from companies such as Nikon, ASML, IBM, and Texas Instruments.
We cannot develop all technologies ourselves.
Of course, if they want to use the technology we develop in the future, they will need to pay us patent royalties.
In addition, the salary you offered is very high. This is the first time I have received an offer with such a high salary.
From the perspective of treatment, I am definitely satisfied.
It has been almost eight years since I founded Lin Chuangdu, and its valuation is not even US$50 million.
It's just me leading this thing by myself, and I'm not sure I can do it well.
I actually don’t have much management experience. I have only managed a R&D team of a few people, and managed the R&D team of a photolithography machine company. I have never done management work of this scale.
I have never been responsible for building a team from scratch for all the R&D personnel of a photolithography machine company.
I'm worried that I can't do it well. "
Zhou Xin is not worried. After Lin Benjian joined TSMC, he became the vice president of TSMC.
For a company the size of TSMC, the vice president has many more people to manage than the photolithography company they want to establish.
Zhou Xin said: "I fully believe that you have this ability.
Managing a few people is not the same as managing dozens of people. You just need to manage the supervisor well.
In addition, I will help you find a good enough helper, who will be responsible for the establishment and management of the company together with you. "
Lin Benjian asked curiously: "Who? Do I know him? Zhengming?"
Do you persuade him to leave Berkeley and start a business with you?
Zhengming is better than me, Silue Semiconductor is more valuable than Lin Chuang, and its valuation is much higher.
Zhengming probably doesn’t have any thoughts of starting another company now.”
Zhou Xin shook his head: "It's not Professor Hu, I don't know if you recognize him.
He is from Wanwan, and he previously worked in analog IC design at a semiconductor company in California.
Guan Jianying, do you know him? "
Lin Benjian said: "I seem to have some impression, but I am definitely not familiar with it. At most, I have seen it before."
Yes, Zhou Xingang just learned the news that Laoguan was kicked out.
This is to make up for yesterday's update. Today's update is 1k. Yesterday's 4k plus today's 6k.
I wanted to give it up for a while, but in the end I gritted my teeth and persevered.
Even on weekends, writing 10,000 words is still very tiring.
Finally, please give me a monthly ticket!
(End of chapter)
