Announcement of the planned launch of a 1.5μm resolution stepper
- Expanding the product lineup for advanced packaging -

Ushio Inc. (Head office: Tokyo, President and CEO: Takabumi Asahi, hereinafter "Ushio") hereby announces that the development outlook for the UX-59113, a stepper for advanced packaging that achieves a resolution of L/S=1.5μm and an exposure field of 100mm square or more per shot, has been established, and plans to launch this product within fiscal year 2026.

The UX-5 series is a lithography equipment for cutting-edge IC package substrates, boasting a 90% global market share*, and is used to expose semiconductor package substrates built into a variety of devices, including PCs, smartphones, and tablet devices.

The spread of IoT and the emergence of generative AI is driving increased demand for high-performance semiconductors for data centers. Advanced packages such as chiplets are seeing increasingly miniaturized interconnects and larger package sizes, driving market needs for alternatives to silicon interposers and full panelization. This is expected to drive increased demand for panel-level packaging using resin and glass substrates.

With conventional steppers for wafer, larger package substrates require stitching, which involves connecting multiple shots for exposure, but misalignment during stitching can lead to issues with reduced yield and productivity. This product enables single-shot, stitchless exposure of substrates 100mm square or larger at 1.5μm resolution, improving yield and productivity during mass production.

It addresses the critical issues of warping and undulation that commonly occur during mass production of glass substrates and full-panel size substrates, which are gaining attention as next-generation technologies. Its new platform leverages the advanced handling technologies we have developed through extensive experience with semiconductor package substrates to effectively solve these challenges.

Ushio will advance the functionality of steppers for advanced package substrates to the world's highest level by leveraging the unique optical design technology it has cultivated since its founding and the know-how it has accumulated over many years working with customers in the IC package substrate industry.

*Cutting-edge IC package substrate market (Stepper market)

■Main Features
・Single-shot exposure of substrates 100mm square or larger at 1.5μm resolution
・Light source and other components designed and incorporated into the equipment in-house
・Transport platform compatible with full-panel-size organic and glass substrates

■Appearance


*Appearance and specifications are subject to change without prior notice.

■Ushio's lithography equipment lineup
Aiming to expand and grow its advanced packaging business, in addition to conventional steppers and maskless direct imaging exposure systems, in December 2023, the company added a new product, the "DLT system," to its lineup through a business partnership with Applied Materials, Inc. This allows Ushio to steadily build a full lineup that meets the diverse needs of customers for next-generation packaging substrates, where technological innovation is advancing.

With the addition of the new stepper product "UX-59113," which is compatible with interposer substrates that play an important role in advanced packaging, to the stepper lineup, we are able to build a comprehensive product lineup that meets a wider range of customer needs and contributes to technological innovation in next-generation package substrates, particularly for generative AI semiconductors.

As a leading company in lithography equipment for cutting-edge IC package substrates, Ushio will continue to contribute to the realization of a convenient and comfortable society through its "light" technology.


Product Portfolio (Image)