TWINSCAN NXT:1980Di

Overview

The TWINSCAN NXT:1980Di is a step-and-scan, dual-stage immersion lithography system configured for 300 mm wafers with 4X reduction and a 26 x 33 mm exposure field. It uses a 1.35 NA 193 nm catadioptric projection lens optimized for immersion ArF processes. The light source is specified as proven 6 kHz ArF laser technology and the system includes a FlexRay Prepared Illuminator. Production-resolution capability is stated as down to 40 nm (C-quad) and 38 nm (dipole). Overlay performance is specified as ≤ 1.6 nm full-wafer-coverage overlay for a single machine and ≤ 2.5 nm full-wafer-coverage overlay for matched-machine operation. The system reports a Global system uptime of >97%. Provisioning for wafer handling and cleanliness includes the SpotLess 2 Wafer Table Cleaning System. Intended for industrial semiconductor manufacturing and advanced fab process development, the TWINSCAN NXT:1980Di targets immersion 193 nm production flows that require feature resolution in the high tens of nanometers (down to 38–40 nm) and sub-nanometer-class overlay control across full 300 mm wafers. The combination of a 1.35 NA projection lens, FlexRay Prepared Illuminator, and 6 kHz ArF laser technology supports process engineers optimizing illumination conditions (C-quad, dipole) and critical dimension performance. Operational characteristics relevant to deployment decisions include the 26 x 33 mm field size and 4X reduction (impacting shot layout and pattern scaling on 300 mm wafers), the dual-stage immersion system architecture, SpotLess 2 wafer table cleaning for in-line table maintenance, and a reported Global system uptime of >97% for production reliability. The specified single-machine and matched-machine overlay figures guide selection for overlay-critical layers and machine-matching strategies in high-volume manufacturing environments.