Austin, Texas (3 p.m. July 2, 2003) and Tokyo, Japan (5 a.m. July 3, 2003) - International SEMATECH (ISMT) and Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. (AGC) today announced the signing of agreements in which they will collaborate on developing advanced mask technology and materials for use in EUV lithography.

Beside providing ISMT with advanced mask materials, Asahi also will send scientists to work with ISMT technologists at International SEMATECH North, the consortium's advanced R&D facility at the University at Albany, N.Y., the participants said.

Giang Dao, a director of ISMT's Lithography Division, said the agreements clearly demonstrate Asahi's continuing commitment and leadership in the development of advanced materials for mask applications, which started with the development of modified fused silica substrate and hard and soft pellicle materials for 157 nm lithography several years ago.

" AGC's commitment to International SEMATECH's EUV program shows there is significant supplier interest in beginning major efforts to develop mask infrastructure for EUV commercial production needs by 2009, in line with the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors," said Dao.
Dao added that AGC will utilize ISMT's state-of-the-art tools at UAlbany to further technology development for their own commercial manufacturing efforts. Earlier this year, ISMT entered into a five-year strategic alliance with UAlbany to develop EUV infrastructure for industry needs in 2007. The program focuses on light defect-free masks and special resists. An estimated 50-60 ISMT assignees and supporting technologists are expected to staff the program by 2006.

" EUV mask technology is complex, thus, requires significant resources and time to develop. The industry needs to begin development as soon as possible to meet those needs, and AGC's agreement with ISMT is a significant step in that direction," said Mr.Seiji Munekata of AGC's Executive Officer and General Manager, Central R&D Center.

Munekata also said " AGC has already established its research group in the central research lab., focusing on the development of polishing technology as well as material development in addition to a collaborative work with ISMT. AGC hopes that the collaborative work with ISMT will realize the EUVL technology to be in time for its production."

The availability of affordable masks technology and related materials in time for next-generation lithography has been a persistent challenge to the semiconductor industry. For several years, ISMT has led the industry by making mask availability and cost control a top priority, initiating a variety of projects embracing metrology, standards development, and infrastructure development.

[Note]
International SEMATECH (ISMT) is a global semiconductor technology development consortium that has effectively represented the semiconductor manufacturing industry on innovation issues since 1988; its members are AMD, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Infineon, Intel, Motorola, Philips, Texas Instruments and TSMC. ISMT conducts state-of-the-art research, and is a highly-regarded technology partner whose mission is to promote the interests common to all chipmakers. It has extensive experience collaborating with equipment and materials suppliers, as well as government and academic research centers, to refine the tools and technology necessary to produce future generations of chips. Additional information may be found at http://www.sematech.org/.

Asahi Glass Company, Limited, was established in 1907 and was Japan's first commercial manufacturer of flat glass. Since then, the Company has expanded its operations to include chemicals, as well as glass for
construction materials, automobiles, and display glass for cathode ray tubes, liquid crystal displays, plasma display panels and other applications. Capitalizing on its glass materials and processing technologies, the Company also diversified into the electronics field. Today, Asahi Glass is a multinational company with operations centering on glass, electronics and displays, and chemicals, and a global network of 200 subsidiaries and affiliates in Japan and 24 other countries. Further information on the Company can be found https://www.agc.com/en/index.html