South Korean company claims to have developed more advanced graphene EUV film

According to Korean media BusinessKorea, a small Korean company has developed a graphene EUV film that is expected to significantly improve the yield rate of Dutch semiconductor equipment company ASML's extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment.

On November 14, Graphene Lab, a developer of semiconductor and display materials, announced that the company has developed a technology to manufacture EUV films smaller than 5 nanometers with graphene, and is preparing to mass-produce new EUV films.

Photomask film (Pellicle) is a key product used to protect the mask used in the EUV process. It is crucial for the ultra-micro-manufacturing process of 5 nanometers or below, and it is also a consumable that needs to be replaced regularly. According to reports, the EUV film can protect the surface of the photomask from molecules or pollutants in the air. Since the wavelength of the light source of the EUV device is relatively short, the EUV film needs to be thinned to increase light transmittance.

Silicon has been used to make EUV films before. Graphene Lab CEO Kwon Yong-deok said that graphene is thinner and more transparent than silicon, and EUV films made of graphene will serve as a booster for the yield of EUV lithography equipment .

The report pointed out that the global EUV film market is expected to reach 1 trillion won in 2024. "Samsung Electronics, TSMC and Intel are potential customers of Graphene Lab," Kwon said.