Jun 11 2009
Molecular Imprints, Inc., the technology leader for high-resolution, low cost-of-ownership nanopatterning systems and solutions in the hard disk drive (HDD) and semiconductor industries, today announced that its innovative Jet and Flash Imprint Lithography (J-FIL) nanopatterning solution continues to gain momentum in non-volatile memory (NVM) markets, with the company progressing along its technology roadmap and realizing key performance milestones.
An important deadline is approaching to make key decisions around selecting a new lithography technology for high-volume, sub-32nm half-pitch semiconductor lithography. In support of efforts to educate key decision makers about the resolution and cost-of-ownership (CoO) advantages of J-FIL, Molecular Imprints will participate in two key conferences where the relative merits of imprint lithography and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) will be debated--at the Confab, a global conference and business meeting for key decision makers on semiconductor manufacturing; and at the SEMICON West Device Scaling TechXPOT. In addition, Molecular Imprints will present on the adoption of J-FIL for patterned media applications in hard disk drives (HDDs) at the DISKCON Japan conference.
"Industry opinions are becoming increasingly favorable for J-FIL adoption in the NVM manufacturing community, as key decision makers become aware of its resolution and CoO advantages," said Ken Rygler, chief marketing officer at Molecular Imprints. "The accelerating progress around J-FIL is shifting industry perceptions about the use of imprint lithography in semiconductor production to the point where it is now considered to be an equally viable alternative to EUV for sub-32nm patterning."
The ConFab (June 14-17, 2009, Las Vegas, Nev.) At the ConFab, a global conference and business meeting where key decision makers from the semiconductor industry meet to discuss wafer fab manufacturing and economic issues, as well as collaborate on future strategic development activities, Molecular Imprints will participate on the panel "Lithography - Imprint vs. EUV". Ben Eynon, vice president of semiconductor business development for Molecular Imprints, will be joined by key representatives from Intel, Nikon, Toshiba and Toppan Photomasks, to share their perspectives on the capabilities, challenges and readiness of these two fundamentally different lithographic approaches to meet future technology, affordability and manufacturing requirements. The panel will take place during Session 3 on Tuesday, June 16 from 8:45 to 10:15 a.m.
SEMICON West (July 14-16, 2009, San Francisco, Calif.) At SEMICON West, Molecular Imprints will participate in the Lithography Challenges and Solutions segment of the Device Scaling TechXPOT. The session will focus on addressing the lithography issues around enabling volume IC production at the 22nm node. Speakers from leading companies, including Molecular Imprints, IBM, KLA-Tencor, Intel and Nikon, will detail the status of J-FIL, EUV and double patterning, as well as address other pertinent lithography infrastructure topics. Ben Eynon will discuss the coming adoption of J-FIL in his presentation, "Nanoimprint: Affordable 22nm Lithography Now?" which will be given on Wednesday, July 15 from 2:30 to 2:50 p.m.
DISKCON Japan (July 21-22, 2009, Tokyo) At the DISKCON Japan conference, Paul Hofemann, vice president of marketing and business development for HDD and emerging markets, will discuss the emergence of J-FIL as the advanced lithography technology of choice for the HDD industry. Hofemann will also summarize the path for imprint lithography adoption in patterned media volume manufacturing, as well as detail key technology and infrastructure highlights. His presentation, "From Possible to Practical - The Evolution of Nanoimprint for Patterned Media," will be given on Tuesday, July 21 at 1:00 p.m.
The increased visibility of Molecular Imprints has resulted from heightened development activity and system sales in both the semiconductor and HDD markets. The company has sold 12 development and pre-production systems into these markets over the past two years. This activity is expected to increase through the second half of 2009 and into 2010 and beyond.