Challenges for lithography

According to Ajit Manocha of GlobalFoundries, keynote speaker at last month’s Semicon West, 20nm lithography equipment now comprises a staggering 85% of the cost of a new fab. No wonder that the ever present drive to deliver on Moore's Law is causing angst. On one hand we have the chip manufacturers bemoaning costs and missed technology deadlines. On the other those trying to produce the next generation of lithography equipment have real technological issues in the complexities (or impossibilities) in further extending immersion multiple patterning or the lack of suitable power sources for EUV lithography. Creating a roadmap is one thing but delivering is another matter.