IBM Lithography Roadmap: Need for Future Lithography Tools and Masks and Requirements for Resists to Avoid Stochastic Defects

Continued scaling in semiconductor lithography demands innovation beyond current high-NA EUV systems. This presentation outlines a forward-looking roadmap for pitch scaling, highlighting three critical areas: (1) Lithographic Tooling – exploring future wavelength and NA trade-offs, with feasibility shown for sub-5 nm, low-NA three-beam imaging; (2) Resist Materials – proposing exposure latitude curves as predictive indicators for stochastic defectivity across wide dose ranges; and (3) Mask Technology – emphasizing the need for larger-format masks to enable higher magnification and improved imaging fidelity. Together, these advances aim to guide industry efforts toward enabling next-generation device manufacturing.