ASML's latest lithography machine: 2.7 billion US dollars, 150 tons, 10 units, Intel or accelerate overtaking.
According to ASML's official news, as early as December 2023, ASML has completed the delivery of the world's first 2nm lithography machine, but surprisingly, its financier is not TSMC, but Intel. After Intel obtained the world's first 2nm lithography machine, many industry experts** believe that Intel may complete the overtaking of the car on the basis of the lithography machine, and may surpass TSMC. How powerful is ASML's latest lithography machine?
ASML has made a detailed demonstration of this 2nm lithography machine to the public, specifically, it is a high-NA extreme ultraviolet lithography machine, which is often referred to as EUV lithography machine. And this lithography machine is priced at 3500 million euros, about 2.7 billion yuan, the weight of the whole machine is 150 tons, and the annual production capacity is 10 units. Among them, Intel alone has 6 units. Obviously, Intel is imperative for 2nm.
The biggest advantage of this lithography machine is that it has a larger numerical aperture, which means that it has a smaller resolution and greater resolution to make thinner chips.
In terms of configuration, this 2nm lithography technology uses a Zeiss 055na lens with a resolution of up to 8 nanometers. Whereas use ZEISS 0The normal EUV lithography technology of the 33Na lens achieves a resolution of 13 nanometers, and that's what differentiates the two. With its addition, wafer manufacturers will be able to easily create advanced wafers at the 2nm node and below.
Many people may have questions: where did TSMC go? TSMC, which is also a big financier of ASML, also has the right of first refusal, why not fight for the first place this time? According to ASML, if you want to come out on top in the era of artificial intelligence, this 2nm lithography machine is indispensable, after all, artificial intelligence requires a lot of computing power and data storage capabilities, so it can be said that this lithography machine is artificial intelligence"Essentials", TSMC why"Silence"？, TSMC why"Silence"？
At the root of the problem is only one word: money. According to the analysis of industry experts, this latest lithography machine, in addition to being more expensive in the chip manufacturing process, will further increase the cost of multiple times, although the production efficiency is higher, but the yield rate is also lower. In other words, when manufacturing 2nm or even more advanced chips, the cost is higher and the yield rate is lower, which means that the ** of each chip is also higher, so the question is, when there is no way to solve the problem of low yield rate and high cost, who will pay? The chips produced are likely not to sell!
In terms of 3nm, TSMC and Samsung have both achieved mass production of 3nm chips, but the situation of these two chip industry giants is very different: TSMC's 3nm production capacity is all occupied by Apple, while Samsung's 3nm production capacity has not yet been requested, because chipmakers will not pay for it due to the low yield rate. The same applies to 2nm.
According to industry analysts, TSMC won't use multi-tech until at least 20230 or even later, which means that even if it has this latest lithography machine now, it won't necessarily come in handy.
What's more, the lithography machine weighs 150 tons, 40 containers and 3 cargo planes are required to transport, and even assembly requires about 250 engineers to spend half a year or more.
But on the other hand, ASML is not worried about sales, and its production capacity is not enough to meet the needs of investors! TSMC doesn't, and Intel, Samsung, etc. are in line. Another point, this time Intel can take the lead in getting the 2nm lithography machine, and the United States wants to consolidate its hegemony in the chip field before, in the final analysis, ASML is still the surname"Beauty"What do you think about this? Feel free to leave a comment!