Imagine a company spending 17 years and more than $6 billion researching and developing a technology so advanced, expensive, and uncertain in its outcome, that each of its competitors walked away from the effort.
That’s what Dutch company ASML did in its long march to where it stands now as the sole manufacturer of the machines used to make the most advanced microchips on Earth.
ASML, headquartered in Veldhoven, Netherlands with facilities in the US, Taiwan, and South Korea, produces extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines, as well as earlier-generation deep-ultraviolet (DUV) machines, which are used to make less highly advanced chips than their EUV systems produce.
How do EUV machines work?
EUV machines are a fundamental component in the fabrication of advanced microchips. They work by projecting intricate patterns onto silicon wafers with unprecedented precision at microscopically small levels.
With the ability to create features on chips as tiny as 5 nanometers and smaller, ASML’s EUV lithography systems enable the production of the fastest, most efficient, and most powerful semiconductor devices in the world today.
“No one else [besides ASML] was betting on EUV, because the development process was so long and expensive. It involves stretching the limits of physics, engineering, and chemistry,” Tufts University professor Chris Miller, author of Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology, told MIT Technology Review.
How small is a nanometer?
To begin to wrap one’s mind around this astounding technology, first consider the size of a nanometer, which is a billionth of a meter.
When it comes to microchip manufacturing, the 5-nanometer (5 nm) size represents the scale of the smallest features that can be created on the chip, such as the width of the transistor gates or the distance between them. This includes the size of the various features and patterns etched onto the silicon wafer.
Smaller feature sizes mean more transistors can be packed onto a single chip. This translates into greater performance and efficiency. The more transistors on a chip, the faster it can process information.
This is particularly important in artificial intelligence applications, such as machine learning. Think of how quickly ChatGPT processes and answers queries and prompts. The AI tool’s infrastructure is made up of microchips manufactured using ASML’s amazing machines.
What is EUV lithography?
EUV lithography is an imprinting technology that employs a certain frequency of light known as extreme ultraviolet light. The key feature of this light is its microscopically small 13.5 nanometer wavelength, which enables ASML’s EUV machines to manufacture 5 nm and even 3 nm chips.
How EUV lithography machines work
In EUV microchip manufacturing, the light source is a critical component to produce the necessary short-wavelength light for photolithography processes.
The heart of the EUV light source is its plasma generator, which includes a high-powered laser that targets a tin droplet to create a high-temperature plasma. This plasma emits EUV radiation at a wavelength of around 13.5 nanometers.
A high-energy CO2 laser is used to create the plasma. This laser system needs to be extremely powerful and precise to ensure the tin droplets are consistently vaporized into plasma. When the laser hits the tin droplet, it vaporizes the tin, which forms a plasma that emits EUV light.
This system produces a continuous stream of tin droplets. Each of these droplets is typically a few tens of micrometers in diameter. These droplets are precisely timed and positioned to interact with the laser pulses.
Once the plasma emits EUV radiation, the light is then collected and focused by specialized multilayer mirrors before being projected onto the silicon wafer through what is known as a photomask, which contains the pattern of the microchip.
What is a photomask?
The multistep preparation of the photomask is another wonder of manufacturing:
- First, the intricate patterns needed for microchips are designed using computer-aided design (CAD) software.
- These patterns are transferred onto the photomask, which is usually made of quartz or glass with a patterned opaque film.
- The substrate of an EUV photomask is a 6-inch by 6-inch plate made from materials with ultra-low thermal expansion to prevent distortion during the lithography process.
- Alternating layers of silicon and molybdenum are deposited on the substrate to maximize the reflection of the EUV light with its 13.5 nm wavelength.
- The photomask is coated with a photoresist material and exposed to an electron beam or laser to create the desired pattern.
- The exposed resist is developed, and the underlying material is etched to form the final pattern.
- Advanced metrology tools are used to inspect the photomask for defects.
- Defects are either repaired or the photomask is discarded if defects are beyond repairable limits.
- The photomask is then cleaned and prepared for use in the lithography process.
The EUV light passing through the mask transfers the pattern onto the silicon wafer, creating the microchip features.
The photomask allows for the precise transfer of complex patterns onto the wafer. This is critical for the functionality and performance of the finished microchips. The quality and accuracy of the photomask directly impact the resolution and fidelity of the patterns transferred.
Photomasks are essential for the precision and efficiency of the EUV lithography process. They enable the accurate transfer of intricate circuit designs onto silicon wafers.
ASML business developments
ASML has made a number of business decisions over the past dozen years to better position itself for the long term in this dynamically evolving industry. These moves include the acquisition of a major EUV components supplier, outsourcing of other key EUV components, and strategic stock sales.
Moreover, the recent jaw-dropping $380 million sale of its latest-generation EUV systems to American chipmaker Intel is a massive step toward solidifying its market dominance in the EUV lithography niche over the long term.
EUV technologies that ASML outsources
Some of the advanced EUV technologies that ASML outsources include:
- ASML’s EUV light source equipment is manufactured by its Cymer subsidiary in San Diego. Cymer was acquired by ASML in 2013 for the purpose of incorporating its EUV light source technology into its EUV lithography process. Cymer now operates as an independently managed business within the ASML group.
- World-renowned German optical lens manufacturer Carl Zeiss AG produces ASML’s ultra-smooth collector mirrors.
- Tekscend Photomask of Germany is a leading supplier of precision-manufactured photomasks to ASML.
These partnerships with industry leaders like Cymer, Carl Zeiss AG, and Toppan Photomask help ASML maintain its position at the forefront of EUV technology and continue to advance the capabilities of semiconductor manufacturing.
Strategic stock sales by ASML
ASML also has solidified its dominant market position by selling stock in the company to industry giants (and ASML customers) Intel, NVIDIA, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).
ASML’s 2024 sale of its latest EUV machines to Intel
To begin to grasp the magnitude of ASML’s influence, consider the recent sale of its latest generation EUV machines to Intel.
Earlier this year, ASML contracted with Intel to deliver all of ASML’s High-NA UV machines produced in 2024, with each unit reportedly priced at $380 million.
High-NA EUV lithography tools are another leap in semiconductor manufacturing technology. They feature a 0.55 NA lens, which allows for 8nm resolution, a significant improvement over the current 13nm resolution provided by standard EUV tools.
These High-NA EUV machines, specifically the Twinscan EXE:5000 and EXE:5200, support the production of even more advanced and densely packed chips than earlier EUV models, which are essential for next-generation devices and technologies
The first High-NA EUV machine was delivered to Intel’s D1X factory in Hillsboro, Oregon, in January 2024. The shipment required 250 crates and 13 truck-sized containers. A large team of ASML and Intel engineers was tasked with bringing the system online. The assembly was finished earlier this year. Integration, calibration processes, and testing are ongoing.
Why is ASML’s EUV lithography critical to advancements in so many fields?
EUV lithography is an indispensable tool in the production of the most advanced microchips on Earth.
This is vitally important to the future of our planet, as these astounding little devices will be at the heart of significant progress across various fields of endeavor for years to come.
Looking at the broader picture, they can play a key role, alongside breakthroughs in other arenas ranging from science to spirituality, in our planet’s hoped-for transition to a more “golden age” society.
Here’s how:
Healthcare advancements
As technology plays an ever-increasing role in healthcare, EUV lithography is contributing to advances in a number of medical-related areas. These include:
Medical devices and wearables
- Miniaturization: The ability to produce 5 nm chips allows for the creation of smaller, more powerful, and energy-efficient medical devices and wearables.
- Real-time monitoring: These devices can continuously monitor vital signs and health metrics. They provide real-time data to both patients and healthcare providers. This leads to better disease management and early detection of health issues.
Diagnostic tools
- Enhanced imaging: Advanced microchips power more sophisticated imaging equipment, such as MRI and CT scanners. The benefits to this are higher resolution images for more accurate diagnoses.
- Portable diagnostics: Miniaturized chips enable the development of portable diagnostic devices that can be used in remote or underserved areas.
Personalized medicine
- Genomic sequencing: 5 nm chips significantly speed up genomic sequencing processes. This makes it possible for healthcare practitioners to create more personalized treatment plans based on an individual’s genetic makeup.
- Data analysis: Powerful microchips can process vast amounts of medical data quickly. This facilitates personalized treatment and care plans based on comprehensive data analysis.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning
- Improved processing power: Smaller, more efficient chips enable AI systems to process data faster and more accurately. This leads to better AI applications in various fields, from healthcare diagnostics to environmental monitoring.
- Smart systems: Among other benefits, AI-powered systems can optimize energy usage, enhance agricultural productivity, and contribute to smarter urban planning.
The Internet of Things (IoT)
- Connectivity: Advanced microchips are integral to IoT devices, which connect various systems and devices.
- Smart homes and cities: IoT devices can optimize energy consumption, increase security, and improve the quality of life in smart homes and cities through automated systems and real-time monitoring.
Environmental sustainability
EUV lithography also is a behind-the-scenes contributor to improvements in environmental sustainability. Here are a few examples:
Energy efficiency
- Reduced power consumption: 5 nm chips consume less power while delivering higher performance.
- Green technologies: These chips are used in the development of renewable energy technologies, such as solar panels and wind turbines.
Environmental monitoring
- Data collection and analysis: Advanced microchips facilitate the collection and analysis of accurate environmental data.
- Precision agriculture: Microchips in agricultural technologies enable precision farming techniques that optimize resource use, reduce waste, and increase crop yields.
Economic growth and innovation
- Technological innovation: The use of advanced microchips drives technological innovation across industries. This in turn creates new business opportunities and job markets.
Building blocks of the future
To sum it up, the 5-nanometer and even smaller chips produced using EUV lithography are foundational to making dramatic advances in fields such as healthcare, environmental sustainability, as well as overall technological innovation.
These advancements contribute to a more efficient, sustainable, and connected society. Moreover, they support societies’ transitions to improved quality of life and holistic progress for humanity.
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