Latest news with #High-NA
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
TSMC still evaluating ASML's 'High-NA' as Intel eyes future use
By Nathan Vifflin AMSTERDAM: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world's largest contract chipmaker, is still assessing when it will use ASML's cutting-edge high numerical aperture (NA) machines for its future process nodes, an executive said on Tuesday. Chipmakers are weighing when the speed and accuracy benefits of these nearly $400 million machines will outweigh the almost doubled price tag of what is already the most expensive piece of equipment in a chip fabrication plant. Asked if TSMC plans to use the machine for its upcoming A14, and enhanced versions of the future node, Kevin Zhang said the company hasn't yet found a compelling reason. "A14, the enhancement I talk about, is very substantial without using High-NA. So our technology team continues to find a way to extend the life of current ( Low-NA EUV machines ) by harvesting the scaling benefit," he said at a press briefing. "As long as they continue to find a way, obviously we don't have to use it," Zhang said. Rival Intel has planned to use the High-NA EUV machine in its future manufacturing process, known as 14A, in an attempt to revive its contract chip business and better compete with TSMC. However, Intel also says that customers will still have the option of using older and more proven technologies. During ASML's last earnings report, CEO Christophe Fouquet said he expects customers to test High-NA for high-volume manufacturing readiness through 2026-2027, before they evaluate the tool on their most advanced nodes in a latter phase. Last year, Zhang had told reporters TSMC will not use High-NA for its A16 node, adding he did not like the sticker price. So far, ASML has shipped five of the 180 ton, double-decker sized machine across the world to three customers, counting Intel, TSMC and Samsung.
The Star
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
TSMC still evaluating ASML's 'High-NA' as Intel eyes future use
A view shows the logo of Dutch computer chip equipment supplier ASML, in Veldhoven, Netherlands, January 29 2025. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw/File Photo AMSTERDAM (Reuters) -Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co ( the world's largest contract chipmaker, is still assessing when it will use ASML's cutting-edge high numerical aperture (NA) machines for its future process nodes, an executive said on Tuesday. Chipmakers are weighing when the speed and accuracy benefits of these nearly $400 million machines will outweigh the almost doubled price tag of what is already the most expensive piece of equipment in a chip fabrication plant. Asked if TSMC plans to use the machine for its upcoming A14, and enhanced versions of the future node, Kevin Zhang said the company hasn't yet found a compelling reason. "A14, the enhancement I talk about, is very substantial without using High-NA. So our technology team continues to find a way to extend the life of current (Low-NA EUV machines) by harvesting the scaling benefit," he said at a press briefing. "As long as they continue to find a way, obviously we don't have to use it," Zhang said. Rival Intel has planned to use the High-NA EUV machine in its future manufacturing process, known as 14A, in an attempt to revive its contract chip business and better compete with TSMC. However, Intel also says that customers will still have the option of using older and more proven technologies. During ASML's last earnings report, CEO Christophe Fouquet said he expects customers to test High-NA for high-volume manufacturing readiness through 2026-2027, before they evaluate the tool on their most advanced nodes in a latter phase. Last year, Zhang had told reporters TSMC will not use High-NA for its A16 node, adding he did not like the sticker price. So far, ASML has shipped five of the 180 ton, double-decker sized machine across the world to three customers, counting Intel, TSMC and Samsung. (Reporting by Nathan Vifflin in Amsterdam; Editing by David Holmes)
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TSMC still evaluating ASML's 'High-NA' as Intel eyes future use
By Nathan Vifflin AMSTERDAM (Reuters) -Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co ( the world's largest contract chipmaker, is still assessing when it will use ASML's cutting-edge high numerical aperture (NA) machines for its future process nodes, an executive said on Tuesday. Chipmakers are weighing when the speed and accuracy benefits of these nearly $400 million machines will outweigh the almost doubled price tag of what is already the most expensive piece of equipment in a chip fabrication plant. Asked if TSMC plans to use the machine for its upcoming A14, and enhanced versions of the future node, Kevin Zhang said the company hasn't yet found a compelling reason. "A14, the enhancement I talk about, is very substantial without using High-NA. So our technology team continues to find a way to extend the life of current (Low-NA EUV machines) by harvesting the scaling benefit," he said at a press briefing. "As long as they continue to find a way, obviously we don't have to use it," Zhang said. Rival Intel has planned to use the High-NA EUV machine in its future manufacturing process, known as 14A, in an attempt to revive its contract chip business and better compete with TSMC. However, Intel also says that customers will still have the option of using older and more proven technologies. During ASML's last earnings report, CEO Christophe Fouquet said he expects customers to test High-NA for high-volume manufacturing readiness through 2026-2027, before they evaluate the tool on their most advanced nodes in a latter phase. Last year, Zhang had told reporters TSMC will not use High-NA for its A16 node, adding he did not like the sticker price. So far, ASML has shipped five of the 180 ton, double-decker sized machine across the world to three customers, counting Intel, TSMC and Samsung. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Intel has processed 30,000 wafers with High-NA EUV chipmaking tool
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Intel has started using two leading-edge ASML High-NA Twinscan EXE:5000 EUV lithography tools, the company revealed on Monday at an industry conference, Reuters reports. The company uses these systems for research and development purposes, and so far, Intel has processed tens of thousands of wafers using them. Intel installed and started using two High-NA EUV lithography tools from ASML at its D1 development fab near Hillsboro, Oregon, last year and has now processed as many as 30,000 wafers using these systems, Intel engineer Steve Carson revealed at the SPIE Advanced Lithography + Patterning conference. Intel was the first leading chipmaker to get High-NA EUV machines (which are believed to cost €350 million each) last year and plans to use them to produce its 14A (1.4nm-class) chips several years down the road. Adopting an all-new manufacturing tool ahead of competitors is important, as it enables Intel to develop various High-NA EUV manufacturing aspects (such as glass for photomasks, pellicles for photomasks, chemicals, etc.) that could eventually become industry standards. Also, ASML is poised to develop its Twinscan EXE:5000 High-NA EUV tools with feedback provided by engineers from Intel, which could give the American giant an edge over competitors over time. Processing 30,000 wafers in a quarter is far below what commercial-grade systems can do. However, the number is massive for R&D usage, demonstrating how serious Intel is about becoming the leading chip maker in the High-NA EUV era. Although ASML considers its Twinscan EXE:5000 High-NA EUV lithography tools to be pre-production tools not designed for high-volume manufacturing, Intel has reportedly said these systems are 'more reliable than earlier models.' Still, the report does not elaborate on whether ASML's Twinscan EXE:5000 is more reliable than the company's pre-production Twinscan NXE:3300 tool from 2013, which was used to develop the existing EUV ecosystem, or the production-grade Twinscan NXE:3600D or NXE:3800E that are used for high-volume manufacturing (HVM) today. Considering that ASML uses similar light sources for NXE and EXE machines, they may indeed be very reliable. ASML's Twinscan EXE High-NA EUV lithography tools can achieve a resolution of down to 8nm with a single exposure, a substantial improvement compared to Low-NA EUV systems that offer 13.5nm resolution with a single exposure. While current-generation Low-NA EUV tools can still achieve an 8nm resolution with double patterning, this lengthens the product cycle and can affect yields. High-NA EUV tools reduce the exposure field by half compared to Low-NA EUV systems, which require chip developers to alter their designs. Given the costs and peculiarities of High-NA EUV litho systems, all chipmakers have different strategies for their adoption. Intel clearly wants to be the first adopter, whereas TSMC is a little more cautious.
