The disclosure is further evidence that 193-nm immersion -- with some form of a double-patterning technique -- can scale much further than previously thought. It also means that extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography could get pushed out--again.

So far, EUV has demonstrated the ability to print images down to 24-nm or so. The industry hopes to insert EUV at the 16-nm node.

Today, Intel is using ''dry'' 193-nm lithography for production at the 45-nm node. For the company's 32-nm process, which will go into production by year's end, the chip giant plans to use its first immersion tools. As reported, it plans to use 193-nm immersion scanners from one vendor: Nikon Corp.

In the practical logic world, today's 193-nm immersion scanners in a single exposure environment is expected to hit the wall at 35-nm, said Mike Mayberry, vice president of the Technology and Manufacturing Group and director of Components Research at Intel.

At that point, the technology begins to ''fall off the cliff,'' Mayberry told EE Times at the company's annual Research@Intel Day here.

Like the 45-nm node, Intel plans to implement a form of phase-shift mask technology. That technology, which was described as crossbar patterns, will also enable its 32-nm designs.

Then, at the 22-nm node, Intel is planning to insert 193-nm immersion with a double-patterning scheme. The company is also talking about using computation lithography.

In any case, there are various double-patterning schemes vying for dominance in the market. The major types include litho-etch-litho-etch, litho-freeze-litho-etch, and the sidewall spacer approach, also called SADP.

Intel may -- or may not -- use multiple double-patterning technologies. ''It depends on the layer,'' Mayberry said.

He said that Intel has pushed 193-nm immersion with double-patterning down to 15-nm. This is still in the R&D phase; the scanners have only been able to print lines and spaces--and not actual chip features.

Instead of 193-nm immersion, Intel would rather use EUV for the 16-nm node. At this point, EUV is still not ready for prime time, as the alpha tools can only print lines and spaces ''down to 24-nm,'' he said. As previously reported, EUV suffers from the lack of power sources, resists and defect free masks.

Hynix, IMEC, Intel, Samsung, Toshiba and possibly TSMC are the initial customers for ASML Holding NV's ''pre-production'' EUV lithography tool, according to an analyst. Intel is also working with Nikon in EUV. Nikon is building a tool within its headquarters in Japan. Intel will have access to that system.

Another entity, IBM Corp.'s ''fab club,'' plans to extend 193-nm immersion and move towards what they call ''computational scaling'' technology for the 22-nm node and perhaps beyond. Current optical lithography is expected to hit the wall at the 32-nm node. ''Computational scaling'' -- sometimes called computational lithography -- is said to overcome those limits and extend 193-nm immersion.

Meanwhile, at Intel's annual Research@Intel Day, Intel had demonstrations in such areas as eco-technology, 3-D Internet, enterprise IT and wireless mobility. Here some of the highlights: