TSMC denies taking on Nikon scanner

Foundry giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd denies buying a new 193nm immersion lithography scanner from Nikon Corp.—for now.

For years, TSMC has primarily used only one lithography vendor: ASML Holding NV. But TSMC reportedly bought a new 193nm immersion lithography scanner from rival Nikon of Japan, according to sources.

According to a filing with the Taiwan stock exchange, TSMC disclosed that it has made a NT$1,087,947,900 ($34.1 million) transaction with Nikon, but the documents did not elaborate on the details.

"We didn't buy immersion from Nikon according the filing. We still buy from ASML," said Dennic Hu of the production equipment procurement division at TSMC, in an e-mail. "Nikon is our partner in providing us dry scanners."

Hu did not elaborate, but TSMC is seriously evaluating Nikon's immersion scanners. Related to the recent filing, TSMC recently procured multiple S210 tools from Nikon, sources said. The S210 is Nikon's latest 248nm systems, sources said.

Nikon may "get an S620 order from TSMC, but not until later in 2010," one source said. The S620 is Nikon's latest 193nm immersion scanner.

TSMC, according to the source, has "not ordered an S620. They are interested in the S620, but I don't think they will make a buy decision for three months. They are running demos and collecting information. So, that will take time."

- Mark LaPedus
EE Times