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Sustained rapid progress in information
technology requires evolutions in optical devices, electronic
materials and devices. Our leading-edge technologies in glass,
ceramics and fluorine chemistry continually provide better
material solutions to meet customer demands. |
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A hard problem, that is the development of
optical materials which cope with 157- nanometer F2 laser
light, can be solved by coming up with synthetic quartz glass
for the application. Integration of material design,
production know-how, and micro-fabrication technologies, which
have been acquired over the years, resulted in the successful
production of the material with a low expansion coefficient,
high optical transmissivity and high chemical corrosion
resistance. It is proving itself as an effective new material
for lenses for semiconductor exposure equipments and photomask
substrates which require ultraprecision down to the submicron
level and stability.
Asahi Glass lens material for steppers and scanners
can cope with I-line (365 nm), KrF (248 nm), ArF (193 nm), and
F2 (157 nm)- all the light sources needed for
fourth-generation exposure equipment. Looking further ahead, R
& D is conducted for the materials suitable for use with
the far ultraviolet light sources, that are likely to be used
with later generations of lithography. |
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High-purity synthetic quartz glass for
semiconductor manufacturing equipment
 Our excellent glass production technology
enabled us to succeed in producing exceptionally pure
(>99.999999%), synthetic quartz glass. It is a
material with excellent spectrum transparency from
ultraviolet to infrared, high durability, and thermal
stability. | |
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157nm
lithography is expected to be used to manufacture
generation-after-next devices in the 0.1 to 0.07 micron
range, and this means developing new types of
photoresist systems.
Our fluoropolymer technology will provide many
types of fluoropolymers (Fluon PTFE/ ETFE/PFA, CYTOP
etc.) to IT industries.
We have been developing novel fluoropolymers,
which have C-F bonds to the main chain, for 157nm
photoresist based on proprietary fluoropolymer
technology.
These have excellent transparency (absorption
coefficient lower than 1.5mm-1), acceptable etching
rates as resistant as conventional ArF resist and good
solubility in alkaline solutions.
Currently, applications to resist systems are
under way. |
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Using hologram technology, we are working on
devices for optical pickups and next-generation optical
storage materials. Taking advantage of multiplex technology
and processing at the individual pixel level at the time of
recording and playback, huge recording capacities of several
hundred gigabytes (GB) and playback speeds of several gigabits
per second (Gbps) are possible. From CDs and DVDs and on to
future generations, Asahi Glass provides wide support for
higher recording densities.
Moreover, because the numerical aperture (NA) of the
pickup lens for the next-generation DVD blue is so large, the
gap between the lens and recording media is becoming
exceedingly small. This makes it necessary to hard-coat the
surface of the discs with a fine protective layer of durable
thin film. Using the company's exclusive film technology,
combined with expertise in polymers and inorganic materials,
Asahi Glass has developed a coating material that provides
extremely high scratch resistance and high reliability to
environmental change. Much is expected of the development of
this coating film in next-generation DVD systems.
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Polarization hologram device using liquid
crystalline polymer
Using the
birefringence of an original liquid crystalline polymer,
we have succeeded in achieving close to 100%
transparency from the laser diode (LD). Moreover,
because the light reflected back from the optical disc
to the photo diode (PD) is efficiently diffracted, the
efficiency of light utilization is improved four times
over conventional device. |
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The
electronic ceramics sector is expected to provide key
materials for mobile phones and information transmission
devices. To advance the development of electronic
ceramics for high frequencies, Asahi Glass is using its
special competence in the formulation and evaluation of
glass ceramics and in circuit design technology. We have
already succeeded in developing a frit for multilayer
substrates with desirable dielectric properties, and by
excluding lead, in meeting safety specifications. Based
on green-sheet technology, we are building a foundation
for component design. |
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The trend in the semiconductor industry
continues to be towards smaller and faster integrated
circuits. Global planarization is necessary for high density
multilevel devices. Copper (low-resistivity) and Low-k (low
dielectric) interconnection is desirable to obtain high speed
devices. Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) is essential to
achieve such advanced device structures. Asahi Glass has been
developing CMP slurries by employing material design and
polishing technologies. |
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CMP is a planarization
process for semiconductor devices based on polishing
technology using CMP
slurry. | | |
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