Why bother with x-ray lithography?

摘要

Abstract: The manufacture of state-of-the-art integrated circuits uses UV optical projection lithography. Conventional wisdom (i.e., the trade journals) holds that this technology will take the industry to quarter-micrometer minimum features sizes and below. So, why bother with X-ray lithography? The reason is that lithography is a 'system problem', and proximity X-ray lithography is better matched to that system problem than any other technology, once the initial investment is surmounted. X-ray lithography offers the most cost-effective path to the future of ultra-large-scale integrated circuits with feature sizes of tenth micrometer and below (i.e., gigascale electronics and quantum-effect electronics).!13