Feed: AnandTech
Feed Link: https://www.anandtech.com
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Title: ASML Patterns First Wafer Using High-NA EUV Tool, Ships Second High-NA
Scanner

Date: Thu, 18 Apr 2024 09:00:00 EDT
Link: https://www.anandtech.com/show/21356/asml-pat...

This week ASML is making two very important announcements related to their
progress with high numerical aperature extreme ultraviolet lithography (High-
NA EUV). First up, the company's High-NA EUV prototype system at its fab in
Veldhoven, the Netherlands, has printed the first 10nm patterns, which is a
major milestone for ASML and their next-gen tools. Second, the company has
also revealed that it's second High-NA EUV system is now out the door as
well, and has been shipped to an unnamed customer.

"Our High-NA EUV system in Veldhoven printed the first-ever 10 nanometer
dense lines," a statement by ASML reads. "Imaging was done after optics,
sensors and stages completed coarse calibration. Next up: bringing the system
to full performance. And achieving the same results in the field."

Our High NA EUV system in Veldhoven printed the first-ever 10 nanometer dense
lines. ✨ Imaging was done after optics, sensors and stages completed coarse
calibration.

Next up: bringing the system to full performance. And achieving the same
results in the field. ⚙️ pic.twitter.com/zcA5V0ScUf

- ASML (@ASMLcompany) April 17, 2024

Alongside the system shipped to Intel at the end of 2023, ASML has retained
their own Twinscan EXE:5000 scanner at their Veldhoven, Netherlands,
facility, which is what the company is using for further research and
development into High-NA EUV. Using that machine, the company has been able
to print dense lines spaced 10 nanometers apart, which is a major milestone
in photolithography development. Previously, only small-scale, experimental
lab machines have been able to achieve this kind of a resolution. Eventually,
High-NA EUV tools will achieve a resolution of 8 nm, which will be
instrumental to build logic chips on technologies beyond 3 nm.

Intel's Twinscan EXE:5000 scanner at its D1X fab near Hillsboro, Oregon is
also close behind, and its assembly is said to be nearing completion. That
machine will be primarily used for Intel's own High-NA EUV R&D, with Intel
slated to use its successor - the commercial-grade Twinscan EXE:5200 - to
produce its chips on its Intel 14A (1.4 nm-class) in mass quantities in 2026 -
 2027.

But Intel will not be the only chipmaker that gets to experiment with a High-
NA EUV scanner for very long. As revealed by ASML, the company recently
started shipping another Twinscan EXE:5000 machine to yet another customer.
The fab tool maker is not disclosing the client, but previously it has said
that all of leading logic and memory producers are in the process of
procuring High-NA tools for R&D purposes, so the list of 'suspects' is pretty
short.

"Regarding High-NA, or 0.55 NA EUV, we shipped our first system to a customer
and this system is currently under installation," said Christophe Fouquet,
chief business officer of ASML, at the company's earnings conference call
with analysts and investors. "We started to ship the second system this month
and its installation is also about to start."

While Intel plans to adopt High-NA EUV tools ahead of the industry, other
chipmakers seem to a bit more cautious and plan to rely on risky yet already
known Low-NA EUV double patterning method for production a 3 nm and 2 nm.
Still, regardless of the exact timing for a transition, all of the major fabs
will be relying on High-NA EUV tools in due time. So all parties have an
interest in how ASML's R&D turns out.

"The customer interest for our [High-NA] system lab is high as this system
will help both our Logic and Memory customers prepare for High-NA insertion
into their roadmaps," said Fouquet. "Relative to 0.33 NA, the 0.55 NA system
provides finer resolution enabling an almost 3x increase in transistor
density, at a similar productivity, in support of sub-2nm Logic and sub-10nm
DRAM nodes."

Sources: ASML/X, ASML, Reuters

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