Despite a minor slip, ASML of the Netherlands claims that it has processed 28-nm devices with its R&D EUV lithography tool. With that and future tools, AMD, IBM and others are launching a new effort in EUV. The companies are developing a 22-nm ''test chip,'' with plans to embark on a similar program at the 15-nm node.

EUV, however, is not targeted for production until the 15-nm node in 2013 or 2014, said Obert Wood, a lithographer from Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD), during a presentation at the SPIE Advanced Lithography conference here.

At present, ASML has separate EUV ''alpha demo tools'' installed at IMEC in Belgium and Sematech in Albany, N.Y. Those R&D EUV tools have an NA of 0.25.

A next-generation ''pre-production'' EUV tool was supposed to be shipped by late-2009 or early-2010. That tool has an NA of 0.25 and a 4-nm overlay.

Now, the ''pre-production'' tool will be shipped by mid-2010, said Hans Meiling, ASML's product marketing manager for EUV systems. ''It is taking a lot more work than we originally thought,'' he said.

Still, ASML has five orders for the tool, reportedly including from IMEC, Samsung, Sematech, among others. Nikon Corp. is also developing EUV. An EUV tool could run for $60 million or more each.

Leading-edge chip makers hope to insert EUV lithography at the later stages of the 22-nm node, but it is more likely that vendors will use the technology at the 16-nm node (26-to-30-nm half-pitch) in 2013 or so.

Some say EUV won't be used until 2016. Others say it won't work at all. Originally, EUV was targeted for the 65-nm node, but the technology has been pushed out due to the lack of power sources, resists, defect-free masks and other technologies.

ASML is moving full speed ahead with the technology. ''We're making very nice progress,'' Meiling said during a presentation.

He said that the company's alpha EUV tool has demonstrated 28-nm lines and spaces. The images were accomplished by IMEC and Sematech. In comparison, AMD last year demonstrated the ability to produce a 45-nm device with ASML's R&D tool.

In a paper at this year's event, AMD's Wood said a more realistic goal is to bring EUV into production for the 15-nm node in 2013 or 2014. The paper also was co-authored by ASML, IBM and TEL.