10GHz Processors and Ultraviolet Lithography
hoyosa writes "This article on zd-net reports that Extreme Ultraviolet LLC has built the first ultraviolet lithography stand for manufacturing processors. Will this make silicone obsolete? "
Some interesting bits in there. Also "Soon" means we won't see actual
chips until oh, say 2005, so don't hold your breath or anything.
Extreme Ultraviolet LLC has built the first ultraviolet lithography stand for manufacturing processors.
Um, we've been using UV for a while now. This company has built the first _Extreme_ UV rig. This is especially obvious as a press release when you realize that they can define EUV as beginning more or less wherever they feel like. The term "EUV" was coined when "X-Rays" got a bad name in lithography circles (it used to be "deep UV", "Soft X-Rays", "Hard X-Rays").
Will this make silicone obsolete?
a) "Silicon".
b) No.
The article says:
"EUV technology is very extendable...and we have demonstrated that it would work down to the 30-nanometer level," Gwyn said.
Barring a new invention, which is always possible, "It should take us to the end of silicon...as we know it today," he said.
In english: The limits of silicon technology will run out before the limits of EUV technology.
They're not ending silicon - they're saying that as long as silicon will be around, photolithography will be around.