ASML and Intel said this week that the latter had achieved a significant milestone with ASML's High-NA lithography system by turning on its light source and making the light reach resist on a wafer, according to a report from Reuters. This indicates that the light source and mirrors are aligned correctly, a critical step in the bring-up process. This 'first light' milestone indicates that one of the main components of the Twinscan EXE:5000 system is operational, though not yet at peak performance.
ASML's Twinscan EXE High-NA EUV litho machines with projection optics featuring a 0.55 numerical aperture can achieve resolution of down to 8nm with a single exposure — down from typical Low-NA EUV systems that offer a 13.5nm resolution with a single exposure. The first of these systems is currently housed at ASML's laboratory in Veldhoven, Netherlands, while a second is being assembled at an Intel facility near Hillsboro, Oregon.
