MONTEREY, Calif.--During a technology conference here today, Japan's Nikon Corp. is expected to disclose the formation of an informal group designed to propel the development of its electron-beam projection lithography (EPL) technology.
The so-called "EPL Forum" has begun "for information exchange and discussion" about EPL technology, according to Nikon.
Few details were given about the "EPL Forum." Later today, the Japanese lithography giant is expected to disclose the details of the "EPL Forum" at the 6th International Forum on Semiconductor Technology (IFST) in Monterey. IFST is co-sponsored by International Sematech and Semiconductor Research Corp.
Analysts speculated the forum will help propel the infrastructure for Nikon's EPL tool in the marketplace. Others are also working on the problem. For example, Semiconductor Leading Edge Technologies Inc. (Selete), a Japanese chip-making consortium, is developing EPL masks, resists, and data-processing technologies.
For some time, Nikon has been developing the EPL tool, dubbed the EB Stepper, which is geared to process chips at 65-nm and below. Nikon is developing the platform, while IBM Corp. is devising the optics for the tool.
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