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ASML's Next-Gen Chip Machine: 10 Years Away!
9 Oct
Summary
- A new chipmaking machine could be ready in about 10 years.
- The 'Hyper NA' tool aims to print 5 nanometer circuitry.
- Intel, Samsung, SK Hynix, and TSMC are preparing for advanced EUV tools.
Engineers from ASML and its partner Carl Zeiss have outlined a potential successor to ASML's current leading chipmaking machine. This future tool, referred to as "Hyper NA," could be operational in approximately ten years. The technology aims to enable the printing of even smaller circuitry, with features as minute as 5 nanometers.
While ASML has initiated development, a production commitment for "Hyper NA" has not yet been made. However, its development is significant for the semiconductor industry's future. Intel is currently implementing ASML's "High NA" EUV tool, with Samsung, SK Hynix, and TSMC slated to adopt similar advanced technologies in the coming years.
Zeiss has confirmed its capability to produce the necessary precision optics for "Hyper NA." The paper suggests that ASML's current light source technology can be reused, simplifying development. Beyond "Hyper NA," future advancements might necessitate shorter wavelengths of light, a direction currently under academic investigation.
