report
8.5.5 Additional demand for research

Demand for research can be analysed on two levels. Firstly, there are improvements to these nanotechnology based techniques which would increase their applicability to a wider range of higher volume applications. A more challenging development goal is for these technologies to be able to compete with extensions to existing lithography-based methods for the production of integrated circuits – one of the most heavily optimised, costly and demanding manufacturing processes in existence.

Nanoimprint technology, which is a generally promising approach with a number of applications, still faces some development challenges. These require more study of the actual stamping process, including how to pattern over larger areas whilst managing pattern overlap and avoiding misalignment of stamps.

Throughput is a key factor in enabling or preventing the adoption of these technologies in semiconductor fabrication. A production fab is currently able to process up to 100 wafers per hour using optical lithographic techniques. EUVL, thought to be one of the successor methods, is only able to produce around 2.5 wafers per hour.