Imec has presented an innovative method of chip production, lithography, an environmentally friendly way to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
Imec, based in Leuven, Belgium, cited the technology's potential to reduce carbon emissions in the lithography industry and develop advanced technology hubs for chip.
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Photolithography is a critical step in the process of manufacturing integrated circuits or semiconductor chips. It uses light to transfer a pattern onto a substrate, usually a piece of silicon, similar to the way a design is printed onto a chip surface.
Imec announced that it can significantly reduce the carbon footprint associated with lithography and etching in semiconductor manufacturing. The announcement was made during the Advanced Lithography + Patterning 2024 Conference, where Imec presented sustainable alternatives and practices to reduce direct CO2 emissions in these critical processes.
According to Imec research, lithography and etching processes contribute to over 40% of direct emissions in the Scope 1 and Scope 2 advanced logic node categories. In 2021, the semiconductor devices produced had a CO2 footprint of approximately 175 megatons, equivalent to the annual emissions associated with approximately 30 million people.
Imec's alternative solutions include methods to simplify dry etching processes widely used in chip manufacturing. The goal is to reduce the environmental impact of these processes while maintaining high quality in semiconductor production.
Imec.netzero, a virtual fab developed as part of Imec’s Sustainable Semiconductor Technologies and Systems (SSTS) program, played a key role in demonstrating the impact of emissions. Imec presented the contribution of lithography and etching processes to Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, highlighting the need for innovative solutions.
Imec presents guidelines for future designs, including high-resolution resists and substrates, minimal passivation, and low-temperature etching processes. A high-NA-compatible metal line etching process has been developed, demonstrating a significant reduction of approximately 94% in process gas emissions.
Challenges in lithography include emissions associated with electricity generation. Engineers have sought to use green energy by reducing multiple patterning steps, minimizing photoresist dosage, and improving scanner performance for energy efficiency
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“Sustainability is critical for Imec and we are pleased to see it being taken seriously at the SPIE Advanced Lithography and Patterning conference,” explained Emily Gallagher, a senior member of Imec’s technical staff, in a statement. “A careful survey shows a promising trend: in 2018 there was only one paper addressing sustainability, and now, just six years later, the conference features 45 sustainability papers, with four of them coming from Imec. Last year shattered global climate records, so it is important that we all take action as organizations and as individuals. Imec has embraced this action at all levels, including our research.”
Imec's innovation initiatives, such as CO2 reduction and sustainability, reflect a broader industry shift towards a more environmentally friendly direction in semiconductor.
Source: venturebeat.com
