The three leading-edge lithography suppliers--including ASML Holding Ltd., Canon Inc. and Nikon Corp--have already committed most of their respective backlogs of high numerical-aperture (NA), 193-nm scanners for chip customers in 2002. And now, tool vendors are quoting lead times of about 12-to-14 months for new high NA, 193-nm scanner orders, according to sources.

Worried that they would not be able to obtain these tools in 2002, many chip makers began to order or otherwise horde their high-end 193-nm scanners from vendors in mid- to late-2001, sources said. Chip vendors gambled and placed their orders early in the game--even though these new, advanced 193-nm tools will not be shipped in volumes until mid- to late-2002, according to sources.

The demand for these scanners is welcomed news for tool makers that are suffering from the current IC downturn: a high NA, 193-nm system sells for $10-to-$15 million--each, analysts said. But the apparent shortage of these tools also could pose as a problem for some chips makers, especially for those that failed to order these systems during the market window in 2001.

The new high NA, 193-nm tools are critical for the production of next-generation chips based on 0.10-micron (100-nm) technology, which is expected to hit the market in early-2003 or so, analysts said. At present, chip makers are using workhorse 248-nm scanners to process their 0.13-micron chips, but these tools are quickly running out of steam and may not be able to extend down to the 100-nm node, analysts said.

The shift from 0.13- to 0.10-micron technologies is becoming a "high risk" game for chip makers, due in part to the lithography issues, said analyst Klaus-Dieter Rinnen of Dataquest Inc. in San Jose. One of the problems is that it takes one year to develop, test and produce a single lens for a 193-nm exposure tool, Rinnen said.

And for some time, there has been a chronic and severe shortage of calcium-fluoride materials for 193-nm lithography lenses-a trend that has delayed the shipments of current-generation tools (see March 2 story ). In response, Canon and Nikon have developed their own, internal sources of lithography-lens material, while ASML is banking on third-party producers, according to sources.

The problems with the lens material and other factors have prompted vendors to ship a grand total of only 10-to-20 193-nm tools in the field thus far, according to analysts. In 2002, the total 193-nm scanner market is expected to reach 66 units in terms of shipments from all vendors, according to some analysts.

All leading-edge chip makers are scrambling to procure these machines. Perhaps the biggest order for these scanners is at Intel Corp., which is evaluating 193-nm tools from ASML, Canon, and Nikon, sources said (see Dec. 21 story ).

In any event, tool vendors are scrambling to keep up with huge demand for their 193-nm tools. "We are not sold out of high NA, 193-nm scanners," according to a spokesman for Nikon's U.S. subsidiary, Nikon Precision Inc. of Belmont, Calif. But "90-to-95% of our tools are already spoken for this year," the spokesman said.

The spokesman said that Nikon's chip customers placed their orders for high, NA 193-nm tools last year, thereby causing a rather impressive backlog for the Japanese company.

But it is also providing some flexibility for new and potential buyers. The current lead times for new 193-nm scanners at Nikon is about 12 months, but the Tokyo-based company also has a "few openings" for these tools for customers, according to the spokesman.

Last year, Nikon rolled out its so-called fourth-generation, 193-nm scanner for 90-nm chip processing. Called the S306C, the recently-introduced system incorporates a 0.78 ultra-high NA lens.

Officials from ASML and Canon also indicated that the companies are experiencing huge demand for its respective 193-nm tools, but declined to comment on the lead times for these systems.

Last month, ASML delivered its first high NA, 193-nm tool. Dubbed the AT:1100 , the recently-introduced 300-mm system is based on its Twinscan dual-stage platform. It incorporates lens from Germany's Carl Zeiss, which features an NA of 0.75.

In recent weeks, Canon rolled out a new, 193-nm scanner--dubbed FPA-5000AS3, which features an NA of 0.75.