Multibeam Corporation Explained

Multibeam Corporation
Location:	Santa Clara, California
Key People:	David K. Lam (Chairman)
Products:	E-beam lithography systems for the semiconductor industry
Industry:	Semiconductor industry
Homepage:	http://www.multibeamcorp.com

Multibeam is an American corporation that engages in the design, manufacture, and sale of semiconductor processing equipment used in the fabrication of integrated circuits. Headquartered in Santa Clara, in the Silicon Valley, Multibeam is led by Dr. David K. Lam, the founder and first CEO of Lam Research.

History

Multibeam shipped its first MEBL platform to Bloomington, Minnesota located client SkyWater Technology in July of 2024.^[1]

Technology

Multibeam developed miniature, all-electrostatic columns for e-beam lithography, that provide a maskless and high throughput platform for writing nanoscale IC patterns seamlessly across full wafers. Arrays of e-beam columns operate simultaneously and in parallel to increase wafer processing speed. With over 35 patents issued,^[2] these multi-column e-beam lithography (MEBL) systems enable an array of direct write lithography applications, including Complementary E-Beam Lithography (CEBL), Secure Chip ID, Advanced Packaging Interposers, Photonics, and other applications where precise, nanometer-scale features are required.^[2]

Applications

• Complementary Electron Beam Lithography (CEBL) works with optical lithography to pattern cuts (of lines in "lines-and-cuts" layout)^[3] and holes (i.e., contacts and vias) with no masks.^{[4] [5] [6] [7]}
• Secure Chip ID embeds unique security information in each IC including chip ID, IP or MAC address, and chip-specific information such as keys used in encryption. Chip ID is used for supply chain traceability and to detect counterfeits. Hardware-embedded encryption keys are used to authenticate software. Chip-specific information written into bit registers is non-volatile.^{[8] [9]}
• Advanced Packaging Interposers can be used in chip fabrication in semiconductor chip packaging applications where high performance, low power, long battery life and compact size are needed. Patterns can be varied on a small scale over a large field with nanometer resolutions. Used in high volume or batch production of System in Package (SiP), MEMS & Sensor Packaging, Fan Out Packaging, and 2.5D/3D IC Packaging.^[10]
• Photonics applications benefit from the flexibility of creating high precision curvilinear and varying patterns over wide fields of view for the generation, control, and channeling of light.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Takahashi . Dean . Multibeam launches chip industry’s 1st multicolumn E-Beam lithography . Venture Beat.
2. Web site: November 14, 2016 . Multibeam Patents Direct Deposition & Direct Etch . Solid State Technology.
3. Book: 1D design style implications for mask making and CEBL. http://proceedings.spiedigitallibrary.org/proceeding.aspx?articleid=1736344. SPIE. September 9, 2013. 10.1117/12.2030684 . Photomask Technology 2013 . Faure . Thomas B. . Smayling . Michael C. . 8880 . 124–130 . 109501776 . Paul W. . Ackmann .
4. Web site: From the White Board. eBeam Initiative. June 2014.
5. Book: Multiple columns for high-throughput complementary e-beam lithography (CEBL). https://spie.org/Publications/Proceedings/Paper/10.1117/12.916118. SPIE. March 21, 2012. 10.1117/12.916118 . Alternative Lithographic Technologies IV . Tong . William M. . Liu . Enden D. . Tran . Cong . Prescop . Ted . Lam . David K. . 8323 . 121931138 .
6. Book: E-beam to complement optical lithography for 1D layouts. https://spie.org/Publications/Proceedings/Paper/10.1117/12.879479. SPIE. April 4, 2011. 10.1117/12.879479 . Alternative Lithographic Technologies III . Herr . Daniel J. C. . Lam . David K. . Liu . Enden D. . Smayling . Michael C. . Prescop . Ted . 7970 . 797011 . 55079236 .
7. Book: E-beam direct write (EBDW) as complementary lithography. https://spie.org/Publications/Proceedings/Paper/10.1117/12.868485. SPIE. September 29, 2010. 10.1117/12.868485 . Photomask Technology 2010 . Montgomery . M. Warren . Lam . David . Liu . Dave . Prescop . Ted . 7823 . 78231C . 109918356 . Wilhelm . Maurer .
8. Web site: Securing Chips During Manufacturing. Semiconductor Engineering. July 7, 2016.
9. Web site: Tech Talk. eBeam Initiative. October 2016.
10. Book: Enabling Next-Generation Space Systems with High Productivity Electron Beam Lithography. https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/abs/10.2514/6.2022-4298. Aerospace Research Center. October 25, 2022. 10.2514/6.2022-4298 . Ascend 2022 . MacWilliams . Kenneth . Lam . David K. . Prescop . Ted . Van Art . Roger . 978-1-62410-662-0 . 252925482 .