Many Industry Participants

Companies participating included Sony, NEC, Rohm, NTT Advanced Technology, Dai Nippon Printing, Toppan Printing, HOYA, Tokyo Ohka Kogyo, JSR, FUJIFILM Arch, Toshiba Machine, LEEPL, and Tokyo Seimitsu. These semiconductor device makers, SPE makers and specialized manufacturers in the mask and resist process are to tackle the challenge of LEEPL process development.

Sony, LEEPL, and Tokyo Seimitsu initiated the consortium with a first round invitation process leading to the formal 14 June start date. The Consortium is eager to expand this information exchange arena and will continue to solicit participation from interested parties.

Aiming to Accelerate Development

With LEEPL Corporation, an active development venture, as the core, the Consortium wishes to acquire assistance and support from device makers and equipment and materials makers. This is quite a different form of activity from other next-generation lithography consortiums. LEEPL Corporation will build on its proven record of achievement; LEEPL Corporation succeeded in validation of their alpha-machine six months after company establishment and launched the new machine in Semicon Japan toward the end of last year; the Consortium is now being established just one year after the foundation of the company.

Evaluation Lab Installed

LEEPL Corporation will install and operate a LEEPL technology evaluation lab to support the activity of the Consortium to test, evaluate, and experiment with prototypes. These activities will enable LEEPL to standardize the technology and establish industry specifications. The lab will be located at the newly completed Tokyo Seimitsu Hachioji Main Plant Building.

Social Meeting to Celebrate Startup

After the inaugural meeting, a social event was held for semiconductor device makers, semiconductor production equipment makers, semiconductor materials makers, academic organizations and the press. The keen interest demonstrated by participants points to future expansion of the consortium.