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PERFORMANCE
OF
COMPLETED
PROJECTS
STATUS REPORT
NUMBER 1
NIST SPECIAL PUBLICATION
950-1
Economic Assessment
Office
Advanced Technology Program
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899
William F. Long
Business Performance Research Associates, Inc.
Bethesda, Maryland 20814
March 1999
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements
Executive Summary
Introduction
CHAPTER 1 - Overview of Completed Projects
Characteristics of the Projects
Timeline of Expected ATP Project Activities
and Impacts
Gains in Technical Knowledge
Dissemination of New Knowledge
Commercialization of the New Technology
Broad-Based Economic Benefits
CHAPTER 2 - Biotechnology
Aastrom Biosciences,
Inc.
Aphios Corporation
Molecular Simulations, Inc.
Thermo Trilogy Corporation
Tissue Engineering, Inc.
CHAPTER 3 - Chemicals and Chemical Processing
BioTraces, Inc.
CHAPTER 4 - Discrete Manufacturing
Auto Body Consortium (Joint
Venture)
HelpMate Robotics, Inc.
PreAmp Consortium (Joint Venture)
Saginaw Machine Systems, Inc.
CHAPTER 5 - Electronics
Accuwave Corporation
AstroPower, Inc.
Cree Research, Inc.
Cynosure, Inc.
Diamond Semiconductor Group, LLC
FSI International, Inc.
Galileo Corporation
Hampshire Instruments, Inc. (Joint Venture)
Illinois Superconductor Corporation
Light Age, Inc.
Lucent Technologies, Inc.
Multi-Film Venture (Joint Venture)
Nonvolatile Electronics, Inc.
Spire Corporation
Thomas Electronics, Inc.
CHAPTER 6 - Energy and Environment
American Superconductor Corporation
Armstrong World Industries, Inc.
E.I. duPont de Nemours & Company
Michigan Molecular Institute
CHAPTER 7 - Information, Computers, and Communications
Communication Intelligence Corporation #1
Communication Intelligence Corporation #2
Engineering Animation, Inc.
ETOM Technologies, Inc.
Mathematical Technologies, Inc.
Torrent Systems, Inc.
CHAPTER 8 - Materials
AlliedSignal, Inc.
Geltech Incorporated
IBM Corporation
APPENDICES
Appendix A: Development of New
Knowledge and Early Commercial Products and Processes
Appendix B: Terminated Projects
END NOTES
End Notes
Click here for PDF version of report.
Return to Main Page.
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Hampshire Instruments, Inc.
(Joint Venture)
Large-Scale Diode-Array Laser Technology for X-Ray Lithography
| Today's
stamp-size computer chips are made by lithography systems that
project ultraviolet (UV) or deep-UV light through stencil-like
masks onto silicon wafers to produce the tiny components of
integrated circuits (ICs), or chips. To make higher-performing
ICs, more transistors and denser circuitry will have to be packed
onto each chip. |
Ever Smaller, Denser Computer Chips
Today's densest chips have feature sizes of about 0.15 mm, which
can barely be produced with deep-UV lithography. To make even smaller
chips, the next generation of lithography equipment may use x-rays,
which have shorter wavelengths than visible or UV light. Shorter
wavelengths are needed to make tinier features.
An Inexpensive Laser Approach
X-ray lithography able to make chip features of 0.10 mm and smaller
was demonstrated prior to the start of this project in 1991. But
cost-effective x-ray lithography systems capable of large-scale
IC manufacturing were not available. Research had shown that a relatively
inexpensive device using a high-energy laser to stimulate x-ray
emission could be used to produce x-rays. Suitable material (neodymium-doped
gadolinium gallium garnet, or Nd:GGG) for this type of laser was
available. However, the inability to precisely control the energy
used to pump up the material's energy level was a key problem in
making such a laser work.
This ATP joint venture project by Hampshire Instruments and McDonnell
Douglas Corporation (MDC), with help from Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory, solved the control problem by developing methods for
using powerful arrays of laser diodes to pump Nd:GGG in a laser-based
x-ray lithography system. Hampshire, a small New York company, contributed
its laser design expertise. MDC provided expertise in system design
and the design of the critical high-power laser-diode pump. It also
provided the world's largest laser-diode-module manufacturing capacity
to support post-project commercialization goals.
Prior to the ATP-funded work, MDC built a prototype laser-diode-pump
system with a peak power output of more than 300 kW. The system
was successfully used to pump a Hampshire laser being developed
for a second-generation x-ray lithography system, and its pumping
was significantly more efficient than that of the flash lamps Hampshire
had used in its first-generation x-ray lithography system. In addition,
life testing of laser-diode-pump systems showed they lasted much
longer than the longest-lasting flash lamps then available.
Doubling the Peak Power Output
During the ATP project, MDC built two prototype laser-diode-pump
systems that each delivered more than 750 kW of peak power, by far
the highest laser-diode power produced by any device then or now.
Both met or exceeded all performance and reliability specifications.
MDC kept one pump and delivered the other to Lawrence Livermore
for testing in the second-generation x-ray lithography system being
developed by the lab and Hampshire. The pump, however, was never
integrated with the Hampshire laser. Flash lamps with longer life
became available, leading Lawrence Livermore to shift its focus
to flash-lamp pumping of the laser. The lab continues to develop
x-ray lithography.
PROJECT:
To develop a laser-diode-pumped laser system for generating
x-rays in a new generation of lithography equipment to enable
a major advance in the miniaturization of computer chips while
reducing manufacturing costs.
Duration: 7/1/1991 - 9/30/1992
ATP number: 90-01-0126
FUNDING (in thousands)::
| ATP |
$926 |
50% |
| Company |
930 |
50% |
| Total |
$1,856 |
|
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
Researchers demonstrated the feasibility of using a powerful
laser-diode-array to pump up the energy level of Nd:GGG (neodymium-doped
gadolinium gallium garnet) in a laser intended for use in
producing x-rays. Such a laser could be scaled up to meet
the technical, reliability and affordability requirements
for third-generation x-ray lithography systems. All planned
tasks were accomplished. The company presented some results
at the Advanced Solid State Laser Conference in 1992.
COMMERCIALIZATION STATUS:
No attempt to commercialize the technology has occurred. Soon
after the ATP project was completed, Hampshire ran into serious
financial problems, declared bankruptcy and was liquidated.
The company's demise halted the effort to develop this type
of laser-based x-ray lithography and led to the collapse of
MDC's laser-diode business.
OUTLOOK:
The New York Job Development Authority - which now owns practically
all Hampshire assets, including intellectual property - shows
no intention to commercialize the technology. Neither does MDC
(Boeing). The semiconductor industry has shifted some of its
attention from x-ray lithography to competing technologies such
as deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography utilizing excimer lasers.
However, given the expectation that feature resolution limits
of DUV lithography will be reached in a few years, x-ray lithography
continues to arouse interest. If the industry comes to view
the x-ray approach as a viable candidate for a new generation
of lithography equipment, the technology developed in this ATP
project could be revisited.
COMPANIES:
Hampshire Instruments, Inc.
(joint venture lead)
(Since April 25, 1993, no longer in business)
Other joint venture participant:
McDonnell Douglas Corporation (MDC),
now merged with The Boeing Company
5000 E. McDowell Road
Mesa, AZ 85215-9797
Contact: Henry B. Morris
Phone: (602) 891-2194
Informal collaborator:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory |
High Expectations Dashed by Bankruptcy
Evidence at the start of the project suggested the ATP-funded technology
would be rapidly commercialized if it could be successfully developed
and demonstrated. Hampshire and MDC planned to sell the new x-ray
lithography system in a worldwide market expected, when the proposal
was written, to exceed $1.5 billion by 1994. They also hoped to
sell the technology in solid-state laser markets.
Hampshire, however, ran into serious financial problems and failed
to raise the additional funds needed to survive. The company declared
bankruptcy and was liquidated. The New York Job Development Authority
assumed ownership of practically all Hampshire assets, including
its intellectual property. For a time, several organizations expressed
interest in acquiring the technology, but none completed the acquisition.
MDC intended to commercialize its laser-diode pumps for a variety
of applications. With Hampshire's demise, that plan did not materialize.
There is currently no effort to commercialize the ATP-funded technology,
either by Boeing (MDC) or government agencies. But this may change
with renewed interest in x-ray lithography in the future.
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Date created:
March 1999
Last updated:
April 12, 2005
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