Tokyo Electron Launches Acrevia GCB System to Compete with Applied Materials in EUV Pattern Shaping

TapTechNews August 14th news, Tokyo Electron TEL announced on July 8 local time the launch of the Acrevia GCB (TapTechNews note: Gas Cluster Beam) system, which can precisely adjust the critical dimension and shape of EUV lithography patterns.

Tokyo Electron's release of the Acrevia system this time aims to compete with another semiconductor equipment giant, Applied Materials, for orders in the EUV pattern shaping field: Applied Materials launched the functionally similar Centura Sculpta system on February 28 local time in 2023.

The Acrevia system of Tokyo Electron uses a directional gas cluster beam to etch at the optimal wafer tilt angle to fine-tune EUV lithography patterns and can also reduce the line edge roughness of the patterns, which can reduce the defects generated during the lithography process with as little damage as possible to increase the yield.

For EUV lithography technology, one possible route to achieving more subtle circuit structures is multiple exposures (multiple patterning), but this means a soaring lithography cost. And the pattern shaping equipment launched by Tokyo Electron and Applied Materials can not only correct errors but also reduce the use of EUV lithography.

According to the Korean media etnews, Applied Materials has accumulated orders of 200 million US dollars (TapTechNews note: currently about 1.431 billion yuan) for the Centura Sculpta system. TSMC and Intel have introduced this system, and Samsung Electronics is also evaluating the application of this system in the 4nm process.

Personnel from Tokyo Electron said: We are evaluating the performance of the Acrevia equipment together with logic and semiconductor contract manufacturing (foundry) customers. The Korean media believes that this is a hint that the Acrevia system is about to start supply.