Toppan Photomask Signs Agreement with IBM for Joint R&D on Semiconductor EUV Photomasks

At a glance

Company: Toppan Photomask Co., Ltd.
Announcement: Partnership
Location: Tokyo, Japan

Key figures

Planned agreement duration: five years
Planned start: 1Q 2024
Target logic node: 2 nanometer (nm)

People

Teruo NinomiyaPresident and CEO at Toppan Photomask
Huiming BuVP of Global Semiconductor R&D at IBM

Products and programs

EUV photomasks
High-NA EUV photomasks

Advancing development of EUV photomasks for IBM’s 2 nanometer technology designs

Tokyo, February 7, 2024 -- Toppan Photomask, the world’s premier semiconductor photomask provider, announced that it has entered into a joint research and development agreement with IBM related to the 2 nanometer (nm) logic semiconductor node, using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. This agreement also includes High-NA EUV photomask development capability on next-generation semiconductors.

EUV photomask
© Toppan Photomask Co., Ltd.

Based on this agreement, for a period of five years starting 1Q 2024, IBM and Toppan Photomask plan to develop photomask capability at the Albany NanoTech Complex (Albany, NY, USA) and Toppan Photomask's Asaka Plant (Niiza, Japan).

Mass production of 2nm node and beyond semiconductors requires advanced knowledge in material selection and process control that far exceed the requirements of conventional mainstream exposure technology using an ArF excimer laser as a light source. The IBM and Toppan Photomask agreement brings these essential material and process control skills together to provide commercial solutions for 2nm node and beyond printing.

IBM and Toppan Photomask have a long history of technical cooperation. From 2005 to 2015, IBM and Toppan Photomask (then Toppan Printing) jointly developed photomasks for advanced semiconductors. Starting with 45nm node generation, the scope of joint development expanded to 32nm, 22/20nm, and 14nm nodes that included initial EUV research and development activities. The accumulated technological expertise has contributed to the advancement of the global semiconductor industry.

Since then, Toppan Photomask has continued to actively develop and produce masks and substrate materials for EUV lithography. Additionally, manufacture of EUV production and next-generation development masks requires advanced multi-beam lithography equipment. Toppan Photomask is installing several of these systems to meet the latest semiconductor technology roadmap requirements.

Teruo Ninomiya, President and CEO at Toppan Photomask, said, "Our cooperation with IBM is very important for both companies. This agreement will play a crucial role in supporting semiconductor miniaturization, promoting the advancement of the industry, and contributing to the growth of Japan's semiconductor sector. We are truly honored to have been selected as a partner based on a comprehensive evaluation of our technological capabilities and cost competitiveness, and we are committed to accelerating the realization of miniaturization for 2nm and beyond.”

Huiming Bu, VP of Global Semiconductor R&D at IBM, said, "New photomask capabilities using EUV and High-NA EUV lithography systems will likely play a critical role in designing and producing semiconductor technologies at the 2nm node and beyond. Our collaboration with Toppan Photomask aims to accelerate innovations in advanced logic scaling through the development of new solutions to enable advanced foundry manufacturing capabilities, a critical part of the semiconductor supply chain in Japan."

About Toppan Photomask

Toppan Photomask Co., Ltd. (TPC) is the world’s premier provider of photomasks for semiconductors and a group company of TOPPAN Holdings Inc. (TYO: 7911). Headquartered in Tokyo, TPC leverages its worldwide customer service network and eight manufacturing facilities in key geographic locations to offer the world's most advanced lithography technology. TPC is also expanding into nanoimprint molds and other nano-fabricated products. For more information, visit https://www.photomask.co.jp/english/.

Cautionary Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements from IBM and Toppan Photomask based on current beliefs, assumptions, expectations, and involves risks, uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes to differ materially from current expectations.

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In brief

Toppan Photomask says it has signed a joint research and development agreement with IBM focused on photomasks for 2-nanometer logic chips and later semiconductor generations. The work will cover EUV and High-NA EUV capabilities, with development planned at IBM’s Albany NanoTech Complex in New York and Toppan Photomask’s Asaka Plant in Japan. The five-year effort is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2024. The companies say the collaboration will combine expertise in materials and process control to support advanced semiconductor manufacturing. They also cite a prior period of joint photomask development from 2005 to 2015, which included work on several chip generations and early EUV research. Toppan Photomask reports that it is installing multi-beam lithography equipment for production and development needs.

Key takeaways

Toppan Photomask and IBM agreed to collaborate on EUV photomasks for 2-nanometer and later semiconductor technologies.
The work includes High-NA EUV photomask development capabilities.
The five-year program is planned to start in 1Q 2024 at facilities in New York and Japan.
The companies previously worked together on photomasks from 2005 to 2015.

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