Canon to replace Mercury-Lamp Light Sources with LEDs in Lithography System

Canon to launch mercury-free light source option for FPD lithography

Canon Inc. has a new mercury-free light source option for its MPAsp-H1003H FPD lithography system. The option, scheduled for release in early September, replaces conventional mercury-lamp light sources with LEDs.

The LED option offers longer service life, lower power consumption, and at least 40% higher illumination intensity, enabling shorter exposure cycle times. It also eliminates at least 1 kilogram of annual mercury waste per system. Initially available for newly installed MPAsp-H1003H systems, the option will later be offered as a paid upgrade for existing systems and made available for additional models.

Under standard operating conditions, the LED light source has a service life of 20,000 hours, compared with 1,000 hours for conventional mercury lamps, helping to reduce the frequency of light-source replacement and minimise downtime.

The LED option reduces the number of light-source units from three to one. By reducing the maximum power consumption of the illumination unit by at least 65% compared with conventional mercury-lamp-based units, the LED option also lowers overall system power consumption by at least 10%.
(claims made based on internal testing)