- IBM and Toppan Photomask intend to collaborate for five years starting from the first quarter of 2024
- IBM and Toppan Photomask aim to consolidate crucial material
Toppan Photomask has signed an agreement with IBM for 2 nanometer (nm) logic semiconductor node, using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. This agreement also includes High-NA EUV photomask development capability on next-generation semiconductors.
Under the terms of this agreement, IBM and Toppan Photomask intend to collaborate for five years starting from the first quarter of 2024. Their joint effort will focus on enhancing photomask capabilities at the Albany NanoTech Complex in Albany, NY, USA, and Toppan Photomask’s Asaka Plant in Niiza, Japan.
The challenge of mass-producing 2nm node and beyond semiconductors demands advanced expertise in material selection and process control, surpassing the requisites of conventional ArF excimer laser-based exposure technology. Through this partnership, IBM and Toppan Photomask aim to consolidate crucial material and process control skills, offering commercial solutions tailored for 2nm node and beyond printing.
Teruo Ninomiya, President and CEO at Toppan Photomask, said, “Our cooperation with IBM is very important for both companies. This agreement will play a crucial role in supporting semiconductor miniaturization, promoting the advancement of the industry, and contributing to the growth of Japan’s semiconductor sector. We are truly honored to have been selected as a partner based on a comprehensive evaluation of our technological capabilities and cost competitiveness, and we are committed to accelerating the realization of miniaturization for 2nm and beyond.”
Huiming Bu, VP of Global Semiconductor R&D at IBM, said, “New photomask capabilities using EUV and High-NA EUV lithography systems will likely play a critical role in designing and producing semiconductor technologies at the 2nm node and beyond. Our collaboration with Toppan Photomask aims to accelerate innovations in advanced logic scaling through the development of new solutions to enable advanced foundry manufacturing capabilities, a critical part of the semiconductor supply chain in Japan.”
