Hello and welcome to this programme. This issue is about ASML's latest lithography machine.
As we all know, ASML is the world's worthy lithographic machine giant, leading many
Japanese manufacturers in technological strength, and even became the European technology enterprise
with the highest total market value of more than 280 billion euros before.
CNBC reports that the crazy Dutch company is now building
a machine that "could redefine electronics." ASML is said to be developing a new version of
the EXTREME Ultraviolet lithography machine that will be the most advanced chip-making
machine in the world. The new machines could allow chipmakers to create more complex chips to power
the next generation of electronic devices. In July, Intel CEO PatGelsinger said the
company was on track to be the first recipient of ASML's new machine,
called HighNA (high numerical aperture). How does the EUV machine work
EUV can shine an unusually narrow beam of light onto silicon wafers chemically treated with
"photoresist". Where light comes into contact with chemicals, complex patterns are created
on the wafer that are carefully planned by the designer. This process is called photolithography,
and it is where transistors on integrated circuits come from today.
Transistors are one of the basic components of modern electronics, allowing current to flow
around circuits. In general, the more transistors on a chip, the stronger and more efficient it is.
According to related information, not all ASML lithography machines support EUV.
EUV is the latest technology the company has introduced in recent years for mass production,
while DUV (deep ultraviolet) remains a major demand in the semiconductor industry.
ChrisMiller, an assistant professor at tufts university's Fletcher school of law and diplomacy,
said chip makers want to use the narrowest light wave (wavelength)
possible in photolithography so they can cram more transistors into each silicon wafer.
The high-NA version will be larger, more expensive and more complex
than ASML's current EUV lithography machines. "It includes a novel optical design that requires
significantly faster stages," an ASML spokesperson told CNBC. They add that high-NA machines have
higher resolution, which will reduce chip area by 1.7 times and increase chip density by 2.9 times.
"With this platform, customers will greatly simplify their manufacturing process," the
spokesperson continued. "That would be a reason for them to introduce the technology. The platform
significantly reduces defects, costs, and cycles. As far as we know, each EUV lithography machine
uses more than 100,000 components from the world's leading technology manufacturers.
To put that in perspective, they take about 40 cargo containers or four jumbo jets to transport.
Each set of lithography machines reportedly cost about $140 million.
"They're not limiting it," Miller said, adding that the company's new lithography machine will
support more specific etching on silicon wafers. The first high-NA machines are still under
development and are expected to offer early experience starting
in 2023 so chip makers can start verifying and learning how to use them more quickly.
Customers can then conduct their own research and development in 2024 and 2025. They are likely to
be used for mass manufacturing from 2025. In July, Intel CEO PatGelsinger said the
company was on track to be the first recipient of ASML high-na machines.
"I bet he paid a lot of money for this' starter, 'because he certainly wasn't the only one who
wanted the machine first," Mr. Miller said. "High-naeuv is the next big technology change
on the EUV roadmap," said MauritsTichelman, Intel's vice president of sales and marketing.
"we are ready to take delivery of the industry's first mass-produced high-naeuv
lithography machine and aim to introduce new products in 2025," he said, declining
to say how many new machines Intel has ordered. Tichelman says the new high NAEUV tool switches
from a 0.33 aperture lens to a more delicate 0.55 aperture, enabling higher resolution operation.
The higher aperture allows a wider EUV beam to be produced inside the machine,
which then hits the wafer with greater intensity, improving the accuracy of the etched lines. This,
in turn, enables finer shapes and smaller spacing, which increases transistor density.
AlanPriestley, a semiconductor analyst at Gartner, said ASML's new machine would allow chipmakers to
make chips below 3nm. The most advanced chips in the world are at 3nm and above.
Priestley added that the high-NA machines would cost about $300 million, twice as much
as existing EUV machines, and they would also require more sophisticated new lens technology.
How are chips made Chips are typically made up of
100-150 silicon layers on a single wafer, and only the most complex designs require EUV machines,
most of which can now be made using DUV machines. Of course, ASML also makes other tools.
As mentioned above, this is the product of collaboration among the world's top supply chains,
and it often takes years to complete each EUV machine, while ASML can only ship that
much in a year. According to financial figures, it sold just 31 units last year,
and has produced only about 100 in all. SyedAlam, global head of semiconductors
at Accenture, said: "compared to traditional EUV machines,
HighNA machines provide larger lenses, allowing for finer patterns to be engraved, enabling more
efficient mass production of stronger chips." "Chipmakers have to rely on dual or triple modes,
which are very time consuming," he revealed. "With high NAEUV machines, they are able to do these
functions directly on one layer, enabling excellent cycle and process flexibility."
Chipmakers must therefore trade off better performance against higher costs,
Alam said. "This is especially true for high-resolution EUV machines,
as larger lenses mean higher procurement and maintenance costs."
At the ITF conference last month, iMEC (Belgium Microelectronics Research Center), the brain of
the semiconductor industry, announced A blueprint that transistors will enter the angstrom scale
(A, Angstrom, 1 angstrom =0.1 nanometers) after 2025, in which 2025 corresponds to A14
(14A =1.4 nanometers). In 2027, it will be A10 (10A =1nm) and in 2029, A7 (7A = 0.7nm).
At the time, IMEC said that in addition to the new transistor structure and 2D materials,
a key link was the EUV lithography machine. The 0.55NA next generation EUV lithography machine I
(EXE:5000) will be supplied by ASML to IMEC in 2023 and will be mass-produced in 2026,
according to the company. The 0.55NA is a revolutionary improvement
over the current 0.33NA EUV lithography machine, allowing higher resolution patterns to be etched.
ASML has released its third quarter 2021 results, reporting a significant increase
in revenue and profit compared to the previous quarter, with a net profit of €1.7 billion.
On the DUV side, ASML shipped 1,000 units, while last quarter ASML shipped more than 100 EUV units.
Today, the global core shortage is still, the major chip companies are still expanding chip
capacity, TSMC, Samsung and Intel at the rate of billions of dollars, their demand for lithography
machine will continue to increase. ASML currently has no competitors
in the lithography space, which means that DUV and EUV lithography shipments
are expected to grow further, with revenues expected to exceed eur 30 billion by 2025.
Most importantly, ASML also announced new EUV lithography,
as well as free shipping and other related news. First, ASML officially announced the shipping of
the upgraded EUV lithography machine. The first upgraded EUV lithography machine has
been shipped to Intel, the NEX:3600D, which is more efficient than the previous NEX:3600C.
According to ASML's press release, the upgraded NEX:3600D EUV lithography machine exposes 160
wafers per hour, which is equivalent to exposing one wafer in 23 seconds.
As the number of exposed wafers increases, this means that the capacity of the chips
increases per unit of time, which increases the revenue and profits of the foundry,
which can make more chips per unit of time. Second, ASML announced its EUV lithography
production plan for the next few years, with 55 EUV lithography units expected
to be manufactured in 2022 and 60 EUV lithography units expected in 2023.
Although ASML did not specify the type of EUV lithography machine it is manufacturing,
it is likely to be a mix of the two models. After all, the upgraded EUV
lithography machine is not likely to have high production capacity in the short term.
ASML accelerated the production capacity and promoted the upgraded EUV lithography machine,
mainly for free shipment. After all, global manufacturers are expanding
chip production capacity, the demand for EUV lithography machine is increasing.
In particular, companies such as TSMC, Samsung and Intel have clearly expressed
a need for more EUV lithography machines, but ASML has more customers than these, so it has
been actively pushing for free shipments. For ASML, once it realizes free shipment,
its revenue and profit will grow rapidly, because China is the world's largest chip
consumption market and will also be the world's largest wafer manufacturing market.
Finally, ASML is gearing up for a new generation of NA EUV lithography machines.
ASML has launched an upgraded version of the NEX:3600D EUV lithography machine, but this
is only a minor upgrade. The newly developed AND designed NA EUV lithography machine has
been completed and is officially in production. ASML's next-generation NA EUV lithography machine,
which will be used to manufacture 3nm, 2nm and other chips,
is expected to roll off the production line by late 2022, possibly 2023, the sources said.
It is understood that ASML accelerated the production capacity of EUV
lithography machine and actively promoted the new generation OF NA EUV lithography machine,
which is also to pave the way for free shipment. After all, ASML may be able to ship EUV
lithographs freely after the next generation of NA EUV lithographs are rolled out and existing
EUV lithographs are no longer state-of-the-art. It is very important for ASML to deliver goods
freely, otherwise, the PRESIDENT of ASML would not have issued a warning to The United States twice.
That's why a wafer was exposed in 23 seconds and ASML sent information about the new EUV
lithography machine, which is related to free shipment. What do you think about ASML?
Please leave a comment, like and share. That's all for this episode,
thanks for watching, and we'll see you next time!