NTRS CRITICAL-LEVEL LITHOGRAPHY - READING BETWEEN THE LINES

Careful examination of the 1997 National Technology Roadmap for Semico nductors (NTRS) specifications for critical dimension and overlay tole rance reveals areas where the industry needs more detail and better de finition of terminologies. This need is especially important consideri ng that the time is at hand when the industry has to choose among the potential successors to optical lithography and begin the process of c omparative evaluations so the applicable lithography methods are avail able for IC production in 2001.