On June 28, 2003, Nikon delivered components of its NSR-EB1A electron projection lithography (EPL) system to Semiconductor Leading Edge Technologies, Inc. (Selete) in Tsukuba, Japan. Nikon described the tool as the world’s first full-field EPL system, intended initially for advanced 65 nm process development. Selete planned to assemble and tune it before starting operations in November 2003.
What the NSR-EB1A was designed to do
The NSR-EB1A was a prototype lithography system that used projected electrons to pattern wafer surfaces. Nikon and Selete were investigating EPL as a possible way to make very small features while exposing more area at a time than conventional serial electron-beam lithography. In serial writing, a narrow beam traces patterns one at a time; EPL instead projected patterns in small fields.
Nikon said the tool exposed subfields measuring 0.25 × 0.25 mm per shot—an exposed area 2,500 times larger than that of earlier single-beam writing approaches, according to the company’s 2003 announcement. That figure describes area per shot, not a demonstrated wafer-throughput advantage of the same magnitude.
Why Selete received the tool
Selete, a Japanese semiconductor research consortium, was to assemble and tune the delivered components and use the system to evaluate EPL for advanced manufacturing research. The initial target was 65 nm development, not immediate high-volume production. Nikon’s delivery marked the completion of what its Precision Equipment president called the first phase of the company’s EPL development.
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The 2003 reports presented EPL as a possible complement to optical lithography on selected critical layers, rather than a replacement for optical tools across an entire chip process. Nikon executive Takaharu Miura described a mix of ArF optical lithography and EPL as the most practical option for critical layers.
How the tool handled wafers and masks
The NSR-EB1A used a 200 mm round stencil mask and was designed to process either 200 mm or 300 mm wafers. That combination made the tool relevant to development on both wafer sizes, but it also placed demanding requirements on mask fabrication and handling: a stencil has to remain mechanically sound while accurately defining patterns for electron projection.
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The system occupied approximately 9 m × 9.7 m of clean-room floor space, according to EDN’s 2003 report. Nikon and Selete had addressed the problem of stitching adjacent projected subfields together, but the development program still faced challenges in stencil-mask strength, mask-defect inspection and repair, mask-data conversion, and overall throughput.
What published results showed after installation
Subsequent publications reported increasingly demanding patterning and alignment results. These were research-paper results, not independent acceptance tests or proof that the tool was ready for commercial production.
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| Publication | Reported NSR-EB1A result | What the result indicates |
|---|---|---|
| Masaki Yamabe, SPIE abstract, 2004 | 70 nm line-and-space patterns, 50 nm isolated lines, and 80 nm contact holes | Installation-stage patterning results across line and contact-hole features. |
| Takaharu Miura and colleagues, SPIE abstract, 2005 | 50 nm 2:1 line-and-space patterns, 60 nm dense contact holes, approximately 18 nm stitching accuracy, and approximately 20 nm overlay accuracy | Later reported patterning, field-joining, and overlay results for the EB1A. |
Resolution alone could not establish whether EPL would be practical for manufacturing. Stitching accuracy concerns alignment where projected subfields meet; overlay accuracy concerns alignment between patterned layers. Both matter alongside throughput, mask quality, defect control, and the work required to convert design data into mask patterns.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why EPL remained a development proposition
Projecting larger areas per shot addressed one weakness of serial electron-beam writing, but it did not eliminate the engineering trade-offs. Stencil-mask strength and defects could constrain usable patterns, and mask-data conversion and throughput still needed improvement. The 2003 reports therefore framed EPL as a developing option for selected difficult layers, to be assessed against optical lithography and other next-generation approaches—not as a ready-made, universal successor.
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In announcing delivery, Selete president Akihiko Morino said the consortium would set up the system and seek practical, reliable data to establish EPL’s place among next-generation lithography approaches. That goal captures the milestone’s significance: the tool moved EPL from development claims toward evaluation on a full-field system, while leaving manufacturing viability an open question.
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Sources
- EDN’s 2003 report on Nikon’s delivery to Selete
- Nikon’s 2003 announcement of the NSR-EB1A
- EE Times report on the EPL development challenges
- Masaki Yamabe, SPIE abstract, 2004
- Takaharu Miura and colleagues, SPIE abstract, 2005
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