Mask Economics Shape High-NA EUV Adoption


Key Takeaways: Mask costs are not stopping leading-edge scaling, but they increasingly influence design, node, and process choices. High-NA EUV will tighten requirements for CD, EPE, local CDU, mask 3D modeling, stitching, and materials. Reduced depth of focus in High-NA EUV will drive new resist, etch, film, and absorber approaches. Experts at the table: Semiconductor Engin... » read more

Curvilinear Masks Push The Limits Of Inspection And Metrology


Key Takeaways: Curvilinear masks require native data flows across design, mask data prep, writing, inspection, and metrology. Inspection is shifting from finding all defects to identifying which mask variations actually print on wafer. High-NA EUV will intensify inspection challenges, particularly for small printable defects and actinic contrast limits. Experts at the table... » read more

Mask Technology Faces A New Set Of Challenges


Key Takeaways: Mask inspection and repair remain the critical bottleneck, even as multi-beam writers have reduced mask-writing constraints. Curvilinear masks are becoming viable for critical layers, but qualification, metrology, and inspection standards still lag production needs. Scaling curvilinear requires curvilinear-native data flows, model-based checks, GPU/HPC compute, and les... » read more

Tool And Methodology Changes Coming In Fab And Package Automation


Experts at the table: Semiconductor Engineering sat down to discuss what's changing in semiconductor fabs and packaging houses with Michael Lowman, senior product marketing manager for Data Analytics at Cohu; Aftkhar Aslam, CEO at yieldWerx, Woo Young Han, product marketing director at Onto Innovation; and Lihong Cao, senior director of engineering and technical marketing for ASE. What foll... » read more

Back-End Automation Tackles Growing Complexity


Experts at the table: Semiconductor Engineering sat down to discuss back-end automation challenges in advanced packaging with Michael Lowman, senior product marketing manager for Data Analytics at Cohu; Aftkhar Aslam, CEO at yieldWerx, Woo Young Han, product marketing director at Onto Innovation; and Lihong Cao, senior director of engineering and technical marketing for ASE. What follows are ex... » read more

Disruptive Changes Ahead For Photomasks?


Experts at the Table: Semiconductor Engineering sat down with four experts to explore the current state and future direction of mask-making, with insights from Harry Levinson, principal lithographer at HJL Lithography; Aki Fujimura, CEO of D2S; Ezequiel Russell, senior director of mask technology at Micron; and Christopher Progler, executive vice president and CTO at Photronics. What follows ... » read more

Photomask Changes And Challenges At Mature And Advanced Nodes


Experts at the Table: Semiconductor Engineering sat down to discuss the current state and future direction of mask-making, with Harry Levinson, principal lithographer at HJL Lithography; Aki Fujimura, CEO of D2S; Ezequiel Russell, senior director of mask technology at Micron; and Christopher Progler, executive vice president and CTO at Photronics. What follows are excerpts of that conversation.... » read more

Mask Complexity, Cost, And Change


Experts at the Table: As leading-edge lithography nodes push further into EUV and beyond, mask-making has become one of the most critical and costly aspects of semiconductor manufacturing. At the same time, non-EUV applications are stretching the lifetime of older tools and processes, challenging the industry to find new solutions for both ends of the spectrum. Semiconductor Engineering sat dow... » read more

Benefits And Challenges In Multi-Die Assemblies


Experts at the Table: Semiconductor Engineering sat down to discuss chiplets, hybrid bonding, and new materials with Michael Kelly, vice president of Chiplets and FCBGA Integration at Amkor; William Chen, fellow at ASE; Dick Otte, CEO of Promex Industries; and Sander Roosendaal, R&D director at Synopsys Photonics Solutions. What follows are excerpts of that discussion. To view part one of t... » read more

What’s Next In Advanced Packaging?


Experts at the Table: Semiconductor Engineering sat down to discuss 3D-IC progress and issues, photonics, and tradeoffs with different interposers and bridge technologies, with Michael Kelly, vice president of Chiplets and FCBGA Integration at Amkor; William Chen, fellow at ASE; Dick Otte, CEO of Promex Industries; and Sander Roosendaal, R&D director at Synopsys Photonics Solutions. What fo... » read more

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