FST 增设 Canatu 反应器,扩大 CNT 光罩保护膜产能
FINE SEMITECH (FST) 正在增加来自芬兰碳纳米管(CNT)专家 Canatu 的设备,以扩大用于极紫外(EUV)光罩保护膜的 CNT 薄膜产能。FST 是该公司的主要客户。
原文深度解读
本文报道了韩国FINE SEMITECH(FST)扩大碳纳米管(CNT)EUV光罩保护膜产能,向芬兰Canatu追加订购CNT100 SEMI反应器。订单总价值超500万欧元,设备预计2027年交付。FST正加速CNT保护膜商业化,并评估向三星电子供应。目前尚无商用CNT EUV保护膜,日本三井化学和韩国S&S Tech等也在竞争开发。文章涉及主体包括FST、Canatu、imec、三星电子、三井化学、S&S Tech、JEIO等,关键时间点为2024年9月发货、2025年7月SAT通过、2025年10月商业许可、2027年交付。与电子元器件供应链相关,属于半导体光刻材料领域。
- FST于2025年8月24日向Canatu追加订购CNT100 SEMI反应器,此前在3月已订购长交期部件,设备将于2027年交付。
- 长交期部件和反应器合同总价值超过500万欧元,不包括Canatu未来的经常性收入(如版税和耗材)。
- Canatu于2024年9月向FST发货CNT100 SEMI反应器及后处理设备,2025年7月通过现场验收测试,2025年10月授予FST商业生产许可,FST支付版税。
- CNT100 SEMI反应器采用Canatu的浮动催化剂化学气相沉积技术合成CNT,形成超薄膜,经加工涂层制成EUV保护膜。
- FST正在开发CNT基EUV保护膜,并评估向三星电子供应;EUV光罩成本高达数亿韩元,污染会导致重复缺陷。
- 目前尚无商用CNT EUV保护膜;传统硅基保护膜存在热限制,CNT因高透射率和耐热性受关注;三井化学与imec合作,年产能5000片,计划2027年推出1kW级产品。
供应链影响
- FST的产能扩张可能增加对Canatu设备及耗材的需求,Canatu的经常性收入(版税和耗材)可能随之增长,具体取决于FST的生产规模。
- CNT EUV保护膜的商业化可能影响EUV光刻供应链,包括光罩保护膜供应商、光罩制造商及晶圆厂,取决于客户认证和量产进度。
- 随着高功率EUV和High-NA EUV的采用,对CNT保护膜的需求可能上升,但供应能力取决于FST、三井化学等厂商的产能爬坡。
- 韩国和日本企业的竞争可能加剧,影响CNT膜材料供应格局,例如JEIO作为FST的联合开发伙伴,其材料供应可能增加。
- 设备交付周期长(2027年),可能限制FST短期产能扩张,影响其满足客户需求的时间表,取决于订单和认证进展。
系统解读,仅作为判断线索,不构成备货、出货、涨价或投资建议。
一张使用芬兰Canatu设备于2015年制造的imec CNT基EUV保护膜。(图片来源:Canatu)
FINE SEMITECH(FST)正在增加来自芬兰碳纳米管(CNT)专家Canatu的设备,以扩大用于极紫外(EUV)光罩保护膜的CNT薄膜产能。FST是其官方英文缩写,FINE SEMITECH是其英文公司名称。
Canatu于8月24日表示,FST最近向其追加订购了一台CNT100 SEMI反应器。该订单是在3月份购买长交期部件之后下达的。在订购反应器本身之前,FST已提前订购了需要较长设计、制造和采购周期的关键部件。设备将于2027年交付。
长交期部件和反应器的合同总价值超过500万欧元。该金额不包括Canatu未来的经常性收入,包括版税和耗材。
Canatu于2024年9月向FST发货了一台CNT100 SEMI反应器及后处理设备。该设备安装在FST的工厂,用于验证设备性能和产品质量,并于去年7月通过了现场验收测试。同年10月,Canatu授予FST商业生产许可,建立了FST支付版税的生产体系。
CNT100 SEMI反应器生产用于EUV保护膜的CNT薄膜。它使用Canatu的浮动催化剂化学气相沉积技术合成CNT,形成超薄网状薄膜。然后对CNT薄膜进行加工和涂层,制成成品EUV保护膜。
FST正在扩大相关设备,同时加速CNT薄膜保护膜的商业化努力。Canatu表示,该订单旨在扩大FST的CNT保护膜制造产能。使用CNT薄膜的成品保护膜预计将在商业供应前进行客户产品认证和中试生产。
FST正在开发基于CNT的EUV保护膜,并进行向三星电子供应的评估。保护膜是一种薄保护膜,在半导体光刻过程中防止微小污染物附着在光罩上。EUV光罩成本高达数亿韩元,污染尤其代价高昂。光罩上的颗粒会在晶圆上同一位置重复产生相同缺陷。保护膜可以减少光罩污染引起的缺陷以及光罩更换的需求。
目前尚无商用CNT基EUV保护膜。传统硅基保护膜面临热限制,难以在高功率EUV工艺中使用。CNT因其高EUV透射率以及承受高功率光源所需的热学和机械性能而备受关注,被视为下一代材料。随着高功率EUV和高数值孔径EUV的采用扩大,商业化变得越来越紧迫。
日本三井化学正在与比利时半导体研究机构imec联合开发CNT基EUV保护膜。它已在日本岩国大竹工厂建立了年产能5000片的CNT保护膜生产设施。该公司计划今年推出支持600瓦或以上输出的产品,并于2027年推出用于1千瓦级的下一代CNT保护膜。
在韩国,CNT保护膜的开发竞争也在加剧。S&S Tech在现有金属硅化物保护膜的基础上,正与Awesome Ray合作开发基于CNT薄膜的下一代保护膜。与此同时,FST采用Canatu的CNT薄膜制造技术,同时与韩国CNT专家JEIO联合开发薄膜材料。
An imec CNT-based EUV pellicle made using equipment from Finland’s Canatu in 2015. (Image: Canatu)
FINE SEMITECH (FST) is adding equipment from Finnish carbon nanotube (CNT) specialist Canatu to expand production capacity for CNT membranes used in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) pellicles. FST is the company’s official English abbreviation and FINE SEMITECH its English corporate name.
FST recently placed an additional order with Canatu for a CNT100 SEMI reactor, Canatu said on Aug. 24. The order follows a purchase placed in March for long-lead-time items. Before ordering the reactor itself, FST placed advance orders for key components that require lengthy design, manufacturing and procurement periods. The equipment will be delivered in 2027.
The combined contract value of the long-lead-time items and reactor exceeds €5 million. The amount excludes future recurring revenue for Canatu, including royalties and consumables.
Canatu shipped a CNT100 SEMI reactor and post-processing equipment to FST in September 2024. The equipment was installed at FST’s facility to verify equipment performance and product quality and passed site acceptance testing (SAT) in July last year. In October of the same year, Canatu granted FST a commercial production license, establishing a production system under which FST pays royalties.
The CNT100 SEMI reactor produces CNT membranes for EUV pellicles. It synthesizes CNTs using Canatu’s floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition (FC-CVD) technology to form an ultrathin, web-like membrane. The CNT membrane is then processed and coated to produce a finished EUV pellicle.
FST is expanding related equipment as it accelerates efforts to commercialize CNT membrane pellicles. Canatu said the order is intended to expand FST’s CNT pellicle manufacturing capacity. Finished pellicles using CNT membranes are expected to undergo customer product qualification and pilot production before commercial supply.
FST is developing CNT-based EUV pellicles and conducting evaluations for supply to Samsung Electronics. A pellicle is a thin protective membrane that prevents microscopic contaminants from adhering to photomasks during semiconductor lithography. EUV photomasks cost hundreds of millions of won, making contamination particularly costly. Particles on a mask can repeatedly create the same defect at the same location on wafers. Pellicles can reduce defects caused by mask contamination as well as the need for mask replacement.
There are currently no commercially available CNT-based EUV pellicles. Conventional silicon-based pellicles face thermal limitations that make them difficult to use in high-power EUV processes. CNT is drawing attention as a next-generation material because it combines high EUV transmittance with the thermal and mechanical properties needed to withstand high-power light sources. Commercialization is becoming increasingly urgent as adoption of high-power EUV and high-numerical-aperture (High-NA) EUV expands.
Japan’s Mitsui Chemicals is jointly developing CNT-based EUV pellicles with Belgian semiconductor research institute imec. It has built CNT pellicle production facilities with annual capacity of 5,000 sheets at its Iwakuni-Ohtake Works in Japan. The company plans to launch products capable of supporting output of 600 watts (W) or more this year and next-generation CNT pellicles for the 1-kilowatt (kW) class in 2027.
Competition to develop CNT pellicles is also intensifying in South Korea. S&S Tech is developing a next-generation pellicle based on CNT membranes with Awesome Ray, following its existing metal-silicide-based pellicles. FST, meanwhile, is adopting Canatu’s CNT membrane manufacturing technology while jointly developing membrane materials with South Korean CNT specialist JEIO.