Imagine trying to draw incredibly thin lines on a tiny piece of silicon to make a computer chip. Current 'inks' are reaching their limit and smudge when the lines get too small. This project created a new type of inorganic 'ink' and a special base layer that allows for much sharper, thinner lines without them washing away.
Current chemically amplified photoresists (CARs) cannot meet the resolution and etch resistance requirements for semiconductor chips below the 3nm node. This creates a bottleneck in the production of the most advanced digital hardware.
Developed inorganic Si-based photoresists and metal-containing underlayers. These materials achieved a line/space pattern resolution of 14 nm.
If you are a chip manufacturer dealing with the physical limits of 3nm node production — this project developed inorganic EUV materials that provide better resolution and etch resistance than traditional chemically amplified photoresists.
If you are a memory chip producer needing higher density patterns — this project improved line/space pattern resolution from 30 nm down to 14 nm, opening new opportunities for memory device applications.
If you are a chemical supplier struggling to compete in the EUV lithography market — this project developed metal-containing photoresists and spin-on underlayers that theoretically achieve higher sensitivity and resolution.
Based on available project data, specific pricing for the materials is not provided, though the project targets a Service Addressable Market (SAM) of >3Bn€.
The project has optimized material compositions and process conditions, achieving a resolution of 14 nm, but further developments are needed to increase resist sensitivity for full-scale use.
Based on available project data, the materials were developed by PiBond Oy, who is one of only two companies globally to innovate these inorganic EUV materials.
The project developed functionalized Si-based underlayers and metal-containing resists designed to replace or enhance the performance of standard chemically amplified photoresists (CARs).
The project period runs from 2023-08-01 to 2025-12-31, suggesting the technology is currently in the optimization and testing phase.
The consortium is highly industry-focused, consisting of 3 partners from Finland and Germany. With a 100% industry ratio and the inclusion of an SME (PiBond Oy), the project is geared toward commercial application rather than academic research, utilizing direct collaboration with external partners like imec to validate performance.
Contact PiBond Oy in Finland
Contact us to explore licensing opportunities for inorganic EUV materials.
