APPLICATIONS OF LASERS IN MICROELECTRONICS AND MICROMECHANICS

In the near future the laser source will be used to full effect in mic rofabrication. The spectral brightness of the excimer laser will proba bly propel it to a position as the dominant source for lithography. Th is will be implemented at the ArF 193 nm wavelength, perhaps to dimens ions as small as 0.15 mum in a production environment. In addition, a second technology, laser direct writing, will take on important strate gic applications for circuit prototyping and postfabrication (final st ep) processing. The former technology is posed as a simpler, faster, a nd less expensive alternative to X-ray, electron-beam, or ion-beam lit hography for fabricating next generation VLSI. The latter would make m ethods available for real-time interactive circuit design and will bec ome an enabling technology for multichip modules and three-dimensional micromechanics.