December 14, 2006 – Nikon Corp. will supply chip stepper technology
to help produce a new NAND flash memory chip
by memory manufacturer Powerchip Semiconductor Corp.,
Nikon announced today. Scheduled for late next year, according to a Reuters article, the Powerchip 50 nanometer NAND flash memory chip for consumer electronics will be equipped with a Nikon immersion stepper, also known as a scanner.
“We are pleased that Powerchip selected us as their supplier for immersion lithography technology,” said Nikon President of Precision Equipment Company Kazuo Ushida in a Nikon release today. “This continues our strong, existing relationship with Powerchip for both leading edge tools and non-critical layer lithography.”
Immersion, or wet, lithography is a photographic process that uses purified water, the lens of a stepper, and a wafer. Nikon’s immersion stepper, the NSR-S610C ArF, was chosen for the upcoming flash memory chip for its performance, according to the release. Nikon’s stepper prevents bubbling, water spots, wafer contamination, and fluid evaporation, problems typical of immersion steppers, stated the release.
Nikon recently raised the target goal of stepper unit production to 30 steppers for next year, up from 20 units, starting in April 2007, according to Reuters.
