Photo credit: Nikon

Tokyo — Nikon Corporation has taken another major step in semiconductor manufacturing with the introduction of the Litho Booster 1000, a next-generation alignment station designed to help chipmakers achieve breakthrough overlay accuracy—especially as the industry shifts deeper into complex 3D device structures.

Set for release in the second half of 2026, the Litho Booster 1000 performs high-density sampling on every wafer, then sends precise correction data to the lithography system before exposure. This advanced feed-forward method improves process control and, ultimately, boosts production yield.

Unlike older alignment stations, the new model was built with flexibility in mind—supporting both Nikon’s own lithography systems and those from other major equipment makers. Nikon has been supplying alignment technology since 2018, but the Litho Booster 1000 marks a significant jump in capability.

As more manufacturers adopt 3D structures for CMOS image sensors, logic devices, NAND flash, and soon DRAM, overlay errors caused by wafer deformation and multi-layer processing have become harder to manage. These increasingly intricate stacks require more precise, high-density measurements to keep tolerances tight and quality consistent.

The Litho Booster 1000 aims to meet those demands with enhanced multi-point and absolute measurement accuracy, helping improve device performance without sacrificing throughput. Part of the system’s development was supported by research results from a project commissioned by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).