Lithography is the primary enabling technology for semiconductor manufacturing. Having led the industry transition to Deep Ultra-Violet (DUV) lithography, Intel is currently leading the transition to 193nm, 157nm, and Extreme Ultra-Violet (EUV) lithography. Lithography technologies, such as 193nm, 157nm, and EUV lithography, which have benefited from Intel investment, have gained industry acceptance, while competing technologies, such as x-ray lithography, are no longer being pursued.

The Intel Lithography Roadmap is the Intel plan for the next several generations of lithography technology. In this paper, we discuss this roadmap and review the strategic and tactical forces that have produced the current version of this roadmap. The status of future lithography technologies is also reviewed, with an emphasis on 193nm, 157nm, and EUV lithography. Finally, the key question of affordability is addressed.