- Improves on-wafer critical dimension (CD) uniformity, enabling higher productivity
San Diego, California, December 1, 2014 - Cymer, LLC, an ASML company, the world's leading supplier of light sources used by chipmakers to pattern advanced semiconductor chips, today announced its new argon fluoride (ArF) immersion light source, the XLR 700ix. Built on the industry leading XLR platform, the 700ix provides improvements in bandwidth, wavelength and energy stability, enabling higher scanner throughput and process stability for advanced 14nm chip manufacturing and beyond.

The XLR 700ix provides chipmakers tighter bandwidth control (300+5fm) that essentially eliminates bandwidth as a source of process variation for on-wafer performance. Cymer's patented technology applies high-speed closed loop control on a pulse-by-pulse basis, resulting in extremely stable performance.

"As chip geometries continue to shrink, bandwidth plays an increasing role in control of wafer critical dimension," said Ed Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Cymer Light Source. "Our newest product, the XLR 700ix, significantly improves bandwidth performance, reducing process excursions and ensuring stable and repeatable on-wafer results. Additionally, as part of Cymer's commitment to the sustainable use of natural resources, the XLR 700ix has been designed to use significantly less helium and energy than our previous light sources."

The XLR 700ix introduces a reduction in helium consumption by 50 percent, while providing stable performance across all conditions, even at high-duty cycles. Helium is mainly used in the Line Narrowing Module (LNM) as a critical purge gas due to its unique thermal properties to ensure stable optical performance. Additionally, the XLR 700ix reduces power consumption by 15 percent through the inclusion of the latest, field-proven Master Oscillator (MO) chamber design, enabling chipmakers to decrease operating costs.

The XLR 700ix also includes software updates that enhance light source predictability and availability, such as auto chamber conditioning and automated gas optimization, delivering the highest system efficiency to meet demanding manufacturing schedules.

Cymer's XLR 700ix will begin shipping in Q1 2015.

About Cymer, LLC
Cymer, an ASML company, is an industry leader in developing lithography light sources, used by chipmakers worldwide to pattern advanced semiconductor chips. Cymer's light sources, and ongoing innovations, are available to all semiconductor and semiconductor equipment companies to enable advanced device manufacturing today and into the future. Cymer is pioneering the industry's transition to EUV light source technology, the next viable step on the technology roadmap for the creation of smaller, faster and more energy-efficient chips. The company is headquartered in San Diego, California. www.cymer.com