CORNING, N.Y., Oct. 11 -- Corning Inc. has received a U.S. patent for a calcium fluoride (CaF2) lens blank that supports the advancement of CaF2 materials for the 193 nm and 157 nm microlithography systems. CaF2 represents the next-generation optical material for semiconductor manufacturing applications, the company said. "The production of CaF2 lens blanks is notoriously difficult," said Michael Pell, senior scientist at Corning’s Fontainebleau Research Center in Avon, France. "Growing the crystals is an extremely slow and challenging process -- the smallest impurities can result in a complete loss of the product batch."
While still in the early stages of development, this patented material will enable Corning to manufacture CaF2 lens blanks suitable for the 157 nm technology node.
For more information, visit: www.corning.com/SemiconductorMaterials