Recent News Article

The following is the text of the joint press release announced by Kansai University and Nippon Soda Co., Ltd. on November 13, 2026

Kansai University and Nippon Soda Co., Ltd. Jointly Develop Underlayer Film Material to Enhance the Sensitivity of EUV Resists

Sensitization Effect of at Least 20% Confirmed in Initial Evaluation

 Nippon Soda Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Eiji Aga; hereinafter "Nippon Soda") and Kansai University, a school corporation (Location: Suita, Osaka; President: Tomoyuki Takahashi; hereinafter "Kansai University"), have jointly developed a new underlayer film material that enhances the sensitivity of EUV (extreme ultraviolet) resists, the photoresists used to manufacture advanced semiconductors.
 The developed material is a polymer placed between the EUV resist and the semiconductor substrate. It is designed to promote the chemical reaction of the resist during EUV exposure. In initial evaluations using a positive-tone chemically amplified resist (CAR), the resist reacted at a lower EUV exposure dose than without the material. Using the resist thickness loss as the indicator, the companies confirmed that the EUV exposure dose required was reduced by at least 20%, indicating a sensitization effect. A similar sensitization effect was also observed with a negative-tone CAR, a technology used to form thick films. These results indicate that the material may be effective in improving the sensitivity of EUV resists. The two companies will optimize the composition and structure of the material and advance toward its adoption in next-generation semiconductor manufacturing processes.

Background of Development
 UV lithography is an essential technology for forming fine circuit patterns of several nanometers to several tens of nanometers on leading-edge semiconductors. Advanced semiconductors produced with this technology are used in a wide range of fields, including data centers that support generative AI and high-speed communications. EUV has a wavelength of 13.5 nm, a short wavelength compared with ArF light (193 nm) and KrF light (248 nm), which enables finer processing.
 EUV exposure faces two challenges. The first is power consumption. EUV exposure tools consume far more power than other exposure methods, requiring several times the power or more of conventional exposure methods. * Improving the efficiency of the exposure process is therefore increasingly necessary to reduce energy use in semiconductor manufacturing. The second is that EUV exposure involves a relatively low number of photons per unit of exposure energy.Because short-wavelength light is readily absorbed by air and materials, the amount of light that reaches the resist is limited. Materials that use EUV efficiently and sensitize the resist to expose it at a lower dose are therefore needed.
Addressing these challenges also contributes to SDG 7, "Affordable and Clean Energy," and the developed material is expected to contribute to this goal.
*Source: ASML, 2025 Annual Report based on IFRS https://investor.asml.com/annual-reports/2025/downloads

Overview of the Developed Material
 The developed material is a polymer with an EUV sensitizing function, intended for use as an underlayer film beneath the EUV resist. Conventional underlayer films are used to improve the coatability of the resist, its adhesion to the resist and the semiconductor substrate, and antireflection. In addition to these functions, the developed material absorbs EUV and generates secondary electrons. During EUV exposure, EUV that passes through the resist layer is absorbed by the underlayer film. The secondary electrons generated then act on the photoacid generator (PAG) and other components in the resist, promoting the resist's chemical reaction and improving sensitivity.