Canon Begins Selling Chip Machines To Rival World's Best by ASML (bloomberg.com) 23
Canon has begun selling its nanoimprint semiconductor manufacturing systems, seeking to claw back market share by positioning the technology as a simpler and more attainable alternative to the leading-edge tools of today. From a report: The Tokyo-based company's new chipmaking machines can produce circuits equivalent to 5-nanometer scale when using extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV), a field dominated by industry leader ASML Holding NV. Canon expects its device to reach next-generation 2nm production with further advances and improvements, it said in a statement on Friday. Like domestic peer Nikon Corp., Canon has fallen far behind ASML in the EUV race, but its nanoimprint lithography approach may help it close the gap.
Canon's machinery may also add a new front in the US-China trade war, as the import of EUV machines -- so far the only reliable method for fabricating 5nm chips and smaller -- into China is prohibited by trade sanctions. The Japanese firm's technique skips photolithography altogether and instead impresses the desired circuit pattern onto the silicon wafer. Because of its novelty, it's unlikely to be expressly forbidden by existing trade curbs.
Canon's machinery may also add a new front in the US-China trade war, as the import of EUV machines -- so far the only reliable method for fabricating 5nm chips and smaller -- into China is prohibited by trade sanctions. The Japanese firm's technique skips photolithography altogether and instead impresses the desired circuit pattern onto the silicon wafer. Because of its novelty, it's unlikely to be expressly forbidden by existing trade curbs.
Sure, their equipment's cheaper to buy - initially (Score:5, Funny)
But probably there's some consumable component that, while it should be dirt-cheap, can only be replaced with a special hella-expensive Canon-branded refill cartridge.
Re:Sure, their equipment's cheaper to buy - initia (Score:5, Insightful)
Considering how EUV works, you are not entirely wrong. From WIkipedia [wikipedia.org]:
The mirror responsible for collecting the light is directly exposed to the plasma and is vulnerable to damage from high-energy ions[26][27] and other debris[28] such as tin droplets, which require the costly collector mirror to be replaced every year.[29]
Re:Sure, their equipment's cheaper to buy - initia (Score:2)
Cheaper isn't cheap.
No price is listed, but Canon says it will be half the price of the ASML machine, which sells for $200M.
So unless you have a spare $100M or a very high limit on your credit card, you can't afford it.
Re:Sure, their equipment's cheaper to buy - initia (Score:2)
Re:Sure, their equipment's cheaper to buy - initia (Score:2)
LOL .. just get the off-brand version .. you might get some blotches and chemicals on your hands but it's worth it to save a buck.
Re:Sure, their equipment's cheaper to buy - initia (Score:2)
Re:Sure, their equipment's cheaper to buy - initia (Score:2)
Here's the thing, it doesn't matter. Canon and Nikon have always been making EUV equipment.
ASML just makes a rather critical part of the EUV equipment - the light source. It was something the US, Nikon and Canon all were researching and failed and abandoned during the 2008 recession.
ASML makes the EUV light source which has to be around a few hundred watts of light output, something no other company can currently do nor is it economically viable to do so, which is why Nikon and Canon both abandoned researching EUV light sources once ASML started producing higher powered ones. They were already about 5 years behind ASML at the time.
Nikon and Canon just made the other parts you need - the steppers and imagers and focusing things which take the light and shine it on the silicon.
Japan also has many chemical companies making the chemicals required for EUV lithography.
It's a whole supply chain - you buy the light source from ASML, you buy the steppers and imagers and such from Nikon and Canon, you buy the coating equipment and equipment handlers from someone else, etc. I think it just means Canon is back in the game again, for a while you were stuck with Nikon.
Re:Sure, their equipment's cheaper to buy - initia (Score:3)
This machine from Canon doesn't use UV light at all as far as I can tell (and therefore doesn't need a UV source from ASML or anyone else.
Re:Sure, their equipment's cheaper to buy - initia (Score:4, Informative)
Not even close. ASML, Nikon and Canon sell UV (365 nm) and KrF DUV ( 248 nm) tools. These use refractive optics (lenses) and operate with the wafer in the air.
ASML and Nikon sell ArF DUV ( 193 nm) tools. These use refractive optics and operate with the wafer in the air.
ASML and Nikon sell DUV immersion tools (193 nm). These use refractive optics and operate with a thin layer of water between the last lens and the wafer.
Only ASML sells an EUV tool (13.5 nm). This uses reflective optics (mirrors) and operate with the entire optical path and wafer in vacuum.
%$#@! Paywall (Score:5, Insightful)
TFS is more textual information to read than TFA.
Re:%$#@! Paywall Hack (works sometimes) (Score:5, Insightful)
...not even my latest paywall hack works. I remembered it just after posting. Here's the hack that works for a lot of paywalled sites like billionaire Jeff Bezos' Washington Post, (thank goodness):
Using FireFox, click Toggle Reader View (Ctrl+alt+R) in the address bar, and maybe hit refresh once if that doesn't work right away.
FWIW, it's a simple stupid hack, but I did manage it without adult supervision.
Re:%$#@! Paywall Hack (works sometimes) (Score:3)
...please respect the first rule of fight club on that one, or we're screwed.
Re:%$#@! Paywall Hack (works sometimes) (Score:2)
You saved me a few seconds every day; I always did (Firefox) F10 -> View -> Page Style -> No Style
Re:%$#@! Paywall (Score:2)
Here's a non-paywalled article: Canon challenges ASML supremacy in chip manufacturing [techspot.com].
Re:%$#@! Paywall (Score:4, Informative)
Canon Begins Selling Chip Machines to Rival World’s Best by ASML
- Japanese optics specialist seeks to close gap with Dutch rival
- Chipmaking machinery has been focus of US sanctions on China
By Mayumi Negishi and Yuki Furukawa
October 13, 2023 at 8:28 AM GMT+2
Canon Inc. has begun selling its nanoimprint semiconductor manufacturing systems, seeking to claw back market share by positioning the technology as a simpler and more attainable alternative to the leading-edge tools of today.
The Tokyo-based company’s new chipmaking machines can produce circuits equivalent to 5-nanometer scale when using extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV), a field dominated by industry leader ASML Holding NV. Canon expects its device to reach next-generation 2nm production with further advances and improvements, it said in a statement on Friday. Like domestic peer Nikon Corp., Canon has fallen far behind ASML in the EUV race, but its nanoimprint lithography approach may help it close the gap.
Canon’s machinery may also add a new front in the US-China trade war, as the import of EUV machines — so far the only reliable method for fabricating 5nm chips and smaller — into China is prohibited by trade sanctions. The Japanese firm’s technique skips photolithography altogether and instead impresses the desired circuit pattern onto the silicon wafer. Because of its novelty, it’s unlikely to be expressly forbidden by existing trade curbs.
A spokesperson at Canon declined to comment on whether the new equipment would be subject to Japan’s export restrictions.
Nanoimprint lithography has long promised to deliver a low-cost alternative to optical lithography, and it has been promoted in the past by memory makers SK Hynix Inc. and Toshiba Corp. Kioxia Holdings Corp., Toshiba’s former memory division, tested Canon’s nanoimprint machines before they reached commercial maturity. Canon will now have to prove that it has solved the problems, such as high rates of defects, that plagued past efforts.
ASML, Europe’s most valuable tech company, has seen five straight quarters of revenue growth and surging orders. The Veldhoven-based company is the go-to EUV supplier for the world’s leading chipmakers and expects a 30% rise in net sales this year.
Shares in Canon have gained 26% this year, aided by a wider rally in Japanese stocks and the boost to chipmaking equipment demand brought about by artificial intelligence applications.
Canon, which has until now focused on products used to make less advanced chips, acquired nanoimprint pioneer Molecular Imprints Inc. in 2014 and has spent almost a decade working on the technology. A supplier to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Canon is building its first new plant for lithography equipment in two decades in Utsunomiya, north of Tokyo, to go online in 2025.
Tech looks pretty neat (Score:5, Informative)
They have a nice little youtube video explaining it, it's kinda like a screen print combined with metal form pressing for integrated circuits and they even use inkjet tech with it too.
Nanoimprint Lithography [youtube.com]
Because of its novelty, it's unlikely to be expressly forbidden by existing trade curbs.
I give it a month before it absolutely is forbade expressly.
Re:Tech looks pretty neat (Score:2)
That patterned heating using a DMD to correct for misalignment is pretty fancy ... does it actually work though? Have they made multi-layer complex CMOS devices?
... uh yes (Score:0)
You think one of the most conservative Japanese companies in the world, who was until recently a leader in the field, would announce a $100 million machine that simply fails to work for the intended purpose?
This isn't a consumer product where you can blow smoke up people's asses and they'll all run out and buy it to look cool to their friends. This is like announcing a $100 million piece of mining equipment, it simply has to work.
Re:... uh yes (Score:2)
Even single layer patterns can be useful. Diffractive optics for instance.
Re:Tech looks pretty neat (Score:2)
Inkjet tech? I bet the cartridges for that aren't cheap.
The mask (Score:2)
Re:The mask (Score:2)
(multi-)electron beam writing for the master, but they might use intermediaries before creating a production mask to make the master last longer.
As hard as the tin drop light source in EUV is on masks, I imagine an imprint mask has it worse.
Re:The mask (Score:2)