FST to begin EUV pellicle production in 2023

FST will begin producing its first extreme ultraviolet (EUV) pellicles in 2023, a company executive said on Wednesday.

FST executive vice president Choi Jae-hyouk also said during the 2021 Semiconductor EUV Ecosystem Big Trend Relay Conference hosted by TheElec that the fab equipment and material maker will begin producing EUV pellicles for use in high-NA EUV equipment in 2025.

EUV equipment maker ASML’s current equipment has 0.33NA levels but it is planning to develop those with 0.55NA levels around 2023.

Pellicles are used to protect the masks from dust during wafer fabrication.

Those designed for use in the EUV process is under 50nm thin.

These pellicles must offer over 90% transmittance rate as EUV equipment bends light that weakens them before reaching the wafer.

Choi said the pellicles must also withstand heat from the lithography process, which requires thermal and mechanical stability so that the machines don’t get damaged.

FST’ pellicle currently in development can withstand 250W of power and the company was making upgrades so that it can withstand 400W.

Meanwhile, the South Korean company had said in July that it has developed a EUV pellicle mounter/dismounter.

FST’s current main revenue source are chillers that are used to maintain an optimal temperature in chambers and pellicle materials.