Belgium’s imec, ASML reveal chip-making breakthroughs

Belgium’s imec, a leading semiconductor research and development firm, announced several advancements in computer chip-making technology at its joint laboratory with ASML on Wednesday.

These breakthroughs were achieved using ASML’s latest High NA chip printing machine, valued at 350 million euros ($382 million).

Imec successfully printed circuits as small or smaller than the current best in commercial production for both logic and memory chips in a single pass with the new tool.

This development indicates that leading chipmakers will be able to utilise the High NA tool over the next few years to produce smaller and faster chips. Luc Van den Hove, CEO of imec, stated that the High NA tool will be “highly instrumental to continuing the dimensional scaling of logic and memory technologies.”

Imec also reported that other essential chemicals and tools for the chipmaking process had been tested and were on track for commercial production.

ASML, the largest supplier of equipment to chipmakers due to its expertise in lithography systems, has developed the High NA tool to print smaller features in fewer steps, potentially reducing costs for chipmakers and justifying the tool’s high price.

According to a report by Reuters, Intel is purchasing the first two High NA tools, with a third expected to be acquired by TSMC, which manufactures chips for Nvidia and Apple, later this year.

Mark Philips, Intel’s director of lithography, explained in an email to Reuters that “a second tool is required for the volume of wafers and experiments needed to support a development line.” Other companies that have ordered a high-NA tool include Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron.

Attribution: Reuters