Abstract
Each new generation of IC devices brings about a corresponding decrease in
linewidths and minimum feature sizes. The technological trends and innovations
in IC fabrication processes directly influence the market for masks and mask
making equipment. This market is one the most competitive of all front-end
semiconductor equipment markets, due to the high price of the equipment and
the potential for high profit.
The growth of the mask market is less than the semiconductor market, even
though there is a trend to more layers per design due to increased device
complexity, because of the numerous devices that can be made from one mask
set. The growth of the ASIC market has a strong upward influence on the number
of layers and the merchant average selling price, in which merchant average
sale prices are the value basis of the captive market. Nevertheless, ASIC
manufacturers are maximizing the utilization of masks in an effort to minimize
costs, just as the elimination of contact aligners in the fab has extended the
lifetime of mask sets. The combination of pellicles, 12-to-16-hour mask
turnaround times, and sophisticated CAD programs and design rule checks
further reduce the need for more than one mask set per design.
Both revenues and costs have been affected by the increased demand for
high-end technology photomasks that require more advanced manufacturing
capabilities but generally command higher average selling prices. To meet the
technological demands of its customers and position for future growth, vendors
must continue to make substantial investments in high-end manufacturing
capability both at existing and new facilities.
Photomask demand is driven principally by new design activity, which is
gaining momentum in all regions. Additionally, growth is being fueled by
customers' ramp of new advanced steppers and scanners that utilize the most
advanced photomask products, resulting in higher average selling prices and
margins.
Demand for increasingly complex photomask technologies is showing broad based
stability as semiconductor designers steadily release 90 nanometer and 65
nanometer products.
This report addresses the strategic issues impacting the mask making,
inspection, and repair sectors of the semiconductor industry. The mask making
markets are analyzed and projected.
This report examines and projects the technologies involved, their likely
developments, why and when their introduction or demise will take place, what
problems and choices are facing users, and where the opportunities and
pitfalls are.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - Introduction
- 1.1 The Need For This Report
Chapter 2 - Executive Summary
- 2.1 Summary of Major Issues
- 2.2 Summary of Market Opportunities
Chapter 3 - Technology Issues
- 3.1 Mask Making
- 3.1.1 Mask Blanks
- 3.1.2 Completed Masks
- 3.2 Mask Making Equipment
- 3.2.1 Electron Beam Systems
- 3.2.2 Laser Pattern Generators
- 3.3 Mask Inspection
- 3.3.1 Mask Defects
- Transmission Variations
- Transparent Defects
- Nuisance Defects
- CD Variations
- Reflectivity Variations
- 3.4 Mask Repair
- 3.4.1 Laser Repair
- 3.4.2 Focused Ion Beam Repair
- 3.4.3 Other Repair Methods
Chapter 4 - User - Vendor Strategies
- 4.1 Establishing User Needs
- 4.1.1 Mask Making - Merchant or Captive
- 4.1.2 Submicron Mask Making Equipment - Laser vs E-Beam
- 4.1.3 Mask Inspection Equipment
- 4.1.4 Mask Repair - Laser vs FIB
- 4.1.5 Phase-Shift Masks
- 4.1.6 Optical Proximity Correction
- 4.1.7 NGL Technology Challenges
- 4.1.7.1 X-Ray Masks
- 4.1.7.2 EPL Masks
- 4.1.7.3 EUVL Masks
- 4.2 Competitive Vendor Opportunities
Chapter 5 - Market Forecast
- 5.1 Driving Forces
- 5.1.1 Introduction
- 5.1.2 Trends in IC Processing Technology
- 5.1.3 Mask and Reticle Requirements
- 5.1.4 Fast Turnaround Devices
- 5.1.5 Impact of Direct Write E-Beam and X-Ray
- 5.2 Market Forecast Assumptions
- 5.3 Mask Making, Inspection, and Repair
- 5.3.1 Completed Mask Market
- 5.3.2 Reticle/Mask Manufacturing Equipment
LIST OF FIGURES
- 3.1 Light Transmittance of Glasses
- 3.2 Photomask Fabrication Flow
- 3.3 Optical Photomask Fabrication Flow
- 3.4 SCAPLEL Photomask Fabrication Flow
- 3.5 MaskRigger Software in a Mask Fabrication Process
- 3.6 Schematic of a Laser Pattern Generator
- 3.7 Mulith Reference Distribution Aerial Image Formation
- 3.8 Die-to-Die and Die-to-Database Inspection
- 3.9 Defect Inspection Practices - 2007
- 3.10 Percentage of Yield Losses - 2007
- 3.11 Yield for Binary Masks - 2007
- 3.12 Yield for PSM Masks - 2007
- 3.13 Schematic of a Focused Ion Beam System
- 3.14 Illustration of Clear and Opaque Mask Repair
- 4.1 Write Time Versus Device Complexity
- 4.2 Subwavelength Gap
- 4.3 Lithography Requiements
- 4.4 Phase-Shifting Masks
- 4.5 iN Phase Mask Design
- 4.6 Illustration of OPC
- 4.7 Main NGL Mask Formats
- 4.8 Mask Costs Versus Feature Size
- 5.1 Production Costs for Maskmaking
- 5.2 Capital Expenditures and Revenues
- 5.3 Photomask Functionality
- 5.4 Worldwide Merchant Mask Making Market Shares
- 5.5 North American Merchant Mask Making Market Shares
- 5.6 European Merchant Mask Making Market Shares
- 5.7 Pacific Rim Merchant Mask Making Market Shares
- 5.8 Japan Merchant Mask Making Market Shares
- 5.9 Worldwide Mask Making Equipment Market Shares
- 5.10 Mask Inspection Market Shares
- 5.11 Mask Repair Market Shares
- 5.12 Photomask Repair Methods
LIST OF TABLES
- 4.1 FIB and Laser Repair Comparison
- 4.2 NGL Mask Formats
- 4.3 Cost of Reticle/X-Ray Mask
- 4.4 Phase Shift Mask and X-Ray Mask Manufacturing
- 5.1 Overall Roadmap of Technology Characteristics
- 5.2 Roadmap of Mask Inspection
- 5.3 IC Lithographic Requirements
- 5.4 Increasing Mask Complexity
- 5.5 Worldwide Mask Making Market by Feature Size
- 5.6 Captive Mask Shops
- 5.7 Worldwide Mask Making Equipment Market Forecast
- 5.8 Worldwide Mask Making Equipment Market Shares
- 5.9 Mask Inspection Market Forecast
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