The role of MEMS in maskless lithography

The challenges for maskless lithography at several wafers per hour at the 45–32 nm lithography node are analyzed. The conclusion is that such speed is only obtainable with systems based on massive parallelism, whether the principle is based on light optics, electron optics or atomic force microscopes. The construction of such systems demands the use of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). Different concepts employing MEMS are reviewed. Typical requirements for the manufacturing of the MEMS components are analyzed for a multi-column electron beam concept such as the MAPPER system. Examples of successfully fabricated array structures are shown.