In this episode of the 632nm podcast, we explore how 193nm lasers unexpectedly overtook x-ray approaches and reshaped semiconductor manufacturing. Physicist Mordechai Rothschild describes the breakthroughs that turned a once “impossible” technology into the mainstay of chip fabrication, including the discovery of specialized lenses, the invention of chemically amplified resists, and the game-changing flip to immersion lithography. We also hear candid insights on the race to push below 13.5 nanometers, where new ideas in plasma sources and advanced coatings might one day carry Moore’s Law even further.
Dr. Mordechai Rothschild is a leading physicist and technologist at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, serving as Principal Staff in the Advanced Technology Division. He has been instrumental in advancing micro- and nanoscale systems, with significant contributions to 193-nm photolithography—a technology critical to modern semiconductor manufacturing. His work has earned him the 2014 SPIE Frits Zernike Award and the 2015 Edwin H. Land Medal. With over 220 publications and 16 patents, Rothschild's research spans metamaterials, microfluidics, and nanofabrication. He holds a BS in physics from Bar-Ilan University and a PhD in optics from the University of Rochester.
01:22 Early Days and Technological Challenges
08:54 The Role of Photoresist in Lithography
19:39 The Rise of X-ray Lithography
25:52 Global Competition and Geopolitics
28:45 Challenges and Future of Lithography
44:33 Introduction to Excimer Lasers
47:54 Applications of 193nm Lasers
49:41 Development of Reliable Laser Sources
58:38 Lens Aging and Material Challenges
01:01:10 Exploring Alternative Materials
01:07:41 Liquid Immersion Lithography
01:15:21 Engineering Complex Lithography Systems
01:23:43 Immersion Lithography Insights
01:24:33 Prototype to Foundry Adoption Timeline
01:25:41 Challenges in EUV Development
01:32:24 Personal Journey to Lincoln Lab
01:38:59 Exploring Advanced Lithography
01:57:26 Future of Moore's Law and Lithography
02:06:40 Advice for Young Scientists
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