Belgium’s imec, a global leader in semiconductor R&D, has announced significant advancements in computer chip manufacturing at its joint laboratory with ASML on Wednesday. The breakthroughs, achieved using ASML’s latest 350 million euro ($382 million) chip printing machine, mark a pivotal moment in the industry.
imec revealed that it had successfully printed circuitry as small or smaller than the best currently in commercial production, for both logic and memory chips, in a single pass under ASML’s new “High NA” tool. This development indicates that leading chipmakers will be able to utilize the tool to create generations of smaller, faster chips in the coming years.
“The High NA tool will be highly instrumental in continuing the dimensional scaling of logic and memory technologies,” stated imec CEO Luc Van den Hove.
imec highlighted that many other chemicals and tools essential for the chipmaking process were used during the tests and appear to be ready for commercial manufacturing.
ASML, the predominant supplier of lithography systems to computer chip makers, dominates the market with its advanced machines that use beams of light to create circuitry. The High NA tool’s capability to print smaller features in fewer steps is expected to save chipmakers money and justify its high price tag.
According to a report, Intel is set to purchase the first two High NA tools, with a third slated for TSMC later this year. TSMC, known for producing chips for tech giants like Nvidia and Apple, is expected to integrate the tool into its production line soon.
“A second tool is required for the volume of wafers and experiments needed to support a development line,” explained Intel’s director of lithography, Mark Philips, in an email to Reuters.
Other notable chipmakers, including Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron, have also placed orders for the High NA tool, underscoring its anticipated impact on the semiconductor industry.