NSR SF 155 i-Line

The Nikon NSR SF 155 is a reduction projection stepper designed for semiconductor photolithography. The NSR SF 155 uses i-line ultraviolet light at a wavelength of 365 nanometers. The NSR SF 155 is classified as a wide-field stepper. The NSR SF 155 is intended for mature-node semiconductor production.^[1][6]

The NSR SF 155 employs a 5× reduction projection lens as a common configuration. The NSR SF 155 is designed to handle 150 mm (6-inch) and 200 mm (8-inch) wafers depending on configuration. The NSR SF 155 uses a mercury lamp as its i-line (365 nm) light source.^[1][7]

The NSR SF 155 operates on the principle of optical projection lithography. A photomask containing circuit patterns is illuminated by the i-line UV light source. Projection optics reduce the mask image, typically at 5:1 reduction. The reduced image is projected onto photoresist-coated wafers. The wafer stage moves step-by-step to expose multiple fields in a step-and-repeat process. The NSR SF 155 uses an optical alignment system with wafer mark detection for global and field alignment.^[1]

The NSR SF 155 is used in power semiconductor manufacturing, including IGBT, MOSFET, and SiC device processing for non-critical layers. The NSR SF 155 is used in analog and mixed-signal IC fabrication, such as operational amplifiers, power management ICs, and sensor interface chips. The NSR SF 155 is used in MEMS fabrication for micro-sensors, actuators, and microfluidic devices. The NSR SF 155 is used for discrete devices including diodes, transistors, and RF components. The NSR SF 155 is used in research and development settings such as university labs, process development lines, and pilot production.^[1]