February 27--Powerlase Ltd announced a major development in the field of Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) with its research partner the University of Central Florida. The breakthrough sees the combination of two lasers for the first time in the generation of a laser produced plasma EUV light source. The research will develop the EUVL approach into a workable solution for high-volume manufacture (HVM) of semiconductor chips.
In addition, the conversion efficiency of the laser light into 13.5nm wavelength EUV light from both lasers is similar to when they are used independently of each other. This demonstrates the capacity to add more lasers to the process without lowering the conversion efficiency--a vital element in making EUV a viable HVM solution.