ASML confirms delivery of high NA EUV lithography machines worth $380 million to TSMC this year
2024-06-12
ASML confirms delivery of high NA EUV lithography machines worth $380 million to TSMC this year
On June 5th, ASML delivered the world's first commercial High NA EUV lithography machine to Intel and completed installation. Intel academician Mark Phillips confirmed that the machine will be officially put into use within the year.
In sharp contrast, TSMC, the world's largest chip foundry giant, does not seem eager to join this technology competition. Earlier this year, TSMC expressed opposition when asked if they had plans to purchase similar machines at an event held in the Netherlands.
TSMC mentioned at the time that they would not need this high-end EUV lithography machine in the next few years, and the price would be too high. Previously, analysts predicted that TSMC may not adopt this technology until 2030 or even later.
After months of controversy, TSMC seems to have changed its mindset. At least ASML spokesperson Monique Mols said that the company will deliver a High NA EUV lithography machine worth $380 million (IT Home notes: currently about RMB 2.753 billion) to TSMC this year.
She mentioned that Roger Dassen, the Chief Financial Officer of ASML, confirmed that ASML's two major clients, TSMC and Intel, will receive High NA EUV lithography machines by the end of this year. Affected by this news, ASML rose more than 6% after opening.
Intel announced as early as 2022 that it had signed a contract to purchase 5 units of this device (TWINSCAN NXE: 3600D) for the production of Intel 18A chips by 2025.
At present, advanced lithography technology is a key factor in measuring the upper limit of chip manufacturing, and this High NA lithography technology is expected to reduce the size by 66%. In the field of chip manufacturing, although the current 3nm and 5nm do not represent the actual gate width, it is definitely better to have a smaller gate width.
It is reported that this new EUV system can achieve a numerical aperture of 0.55. Compared with the EUV systems equipped with 0.33 numerical aperture lenses (TWINSCAN NXE: 3400B and NXE: 3400C), the accuracy will be improved, and higher resolution patterning can be achieved.
ASML officials have revealed that this High NA machine will be 30% larger than existing machines, while previous machines were already unimaginably large and even required three Boeing 747s to load them.
TSMC previously announced that its 2nm node is progressing smoothly and plans to launch N3X and N2 processes in the second half of 2025, and mass produce N2P and A16 processes in the second half of 2026. Unlike 3nm process nodes, TSMC's 2nm process will use Gate all around FETs (GAAFETs) transistors, resulting in a 10% to 15% performance improvement and a 25% to 30% reduction in power consumption compared to the 3nm process.
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