Japan's nanoimprint machine manufactures 5nm chips, bypassing EUV lithography machines and shipping them all!
As we all know, today's wafer fabrication process is basically based on the lithography process. Lithography, on the other hand, requires the use of lithography machines, which are compatible with KRF, ARF, ARFI, EUV, etc.
Therefore, the lithography process has become the most important device in the entire IC manufacturing process. At present, the lithography process is mainly controlled by ASML, of which the high-end EUV is the most prominent, ASML excludes 100%, and in the field of ARFI lithography, ASML excludes more than 98%.
ASML, on the other hand, is controlled by the United States, so the United States and ASML have complete control over the world's wafer manufacturers in terms of lithography processes.
Against this backdrop, many other semiconductor device manufacturers around the world are looking for a new approach to ASML and extreme ultraviolet lithography.
For example, X-ray lithography technology developed in Russia, nanoimprint technology developed in Japan, and DSA technology independently developed in Europe all try to bypass lithography technology, especially extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, which is required to manufacture EUV lithography technology for processes of 5 nm and below.
In 2023, Japan's Canon has already manufactured a nanoprinting device that can make 5 nm wafers.
There is a big difference between lithography and traditional ultraviolet lithography, the former requires first imprinting on the chip, and then printing the chip on the chip to make an electronic circuit.
In addition, nanoimprint lithography is about 10% less than extreme ultraviolet lithography, and the power consumption is only about 10% of that of extreme ultraviolet lithography.
Even if a nanometer printing machine is used to manufacture a 5nm wafer, the cost of the equipment is only 40% of that of the original EUV lithography machine, which is about half the cost.
Canon announced some time ago that its mass-manufactured FPA-1200NZ2C device will be put into the 5 nm process in 2024, and by that time, the 5 nm process will be free from the limitations of the EUV lithography process.
However, these nanoprinting and embossing devices cannot be exported to China, and Canon has made it clear that the Japanese authorities have strict controls on devices manufactured at 40nm and below, and must obtain a license before they can be exported to China.
Moreover, lithography and nanotechnology are two different technologies, which are different in many fields, and in terms of comprehensive performance, nanolithography is much lower. Therefore, even if Canon has this technology, I am afraid that few manufacturers are willing to buy it, because EUV is already very advanced, very reliable and efficient, and at present, there is no condition to realize nano printing.
In fact, without any constraints, the most likely to be acquired are Chinese manufacturers, because EUV lithography machines are not available, and Chinese manufacturers are currently unable to buy them, and Canon does not have many customers.