High-productivity direct-write e-beam lithography: an enabling patterning technology to augment your lithography toolbox

Abstract

Multibeam Corporation has overcome the productivity limitations of conventional single-electron-beam lithography to enable high-speed, flexible, and high-resolution patterning in a range of new and existing applications. The high-productivity Multicolumn Electron Beam Lithography (MEBL) system combines a modular architecture with unique miniature e-beam columns to achieve productivity that is taking e-beam lithography from lab to fab. MEBL exhibits 10 to 100x productivity in most applications compared to conventional e-beam lithography. Beyond its superior resolution, MEBL also offers several important advantages over conventional photolithography: (1) Depth of Focus – over 100x larger than state-of-the-art optical systems. (2) Full-wafer Writing Field – the ability to write unique, seamless patterns over an entire wafer, not limited by conventional optical reticle size (typically 26 mm x 33 mm). (3) Perhaps most powerfully – direct writing is maskless. E-beam lithography is adaptable and is not constrained by the time, cost, defectivity, and security risks of the optical mask production process. The design and manufacturing capabilities that emerge from combining high-productivity with these unique e-beam lithography capabilities enable many key applications: super-large interposers for microelectronics advanced packaging (that can achieve size, weight, power, and performance close to that of wafer-scale integration); seamless patterning of readout integrated circuits (ROICs) and other larger-area devices; built-in Secure Chip IDs that ensure security and chip-level traceability; and high-mix, low-volume production (to leverage high-volume IC technology for low-volume applications). The adaptable, direct-write nature of e-beam lithography also enables early concept prototyping that accelerates technology development, production ramp-up, and system deployments. These advanced capabilities are shown using Multibeam’s high-productivity, direct-write MEBL system.