Technology Intel and ASML achieve 'First Light' milestone with world's most advanced chipmaking tool

[silversurfer]

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https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/manufacturing/intel-and-asml-achieve-first-light-milestone-with-worlds-most-advanced-chipmaking-tool-high-na-tools-euv-light-source-and-mirrors-are-functional

ASML and Intel said this week that the latter had achieved a significant milestone with ASML's High-NA lithography system by turning on its light source and making the light reach resist on a wafer, according to a report from Reuters. This indicates that the light source and mirrors are aligned correctly, a critical step in the bring-up process. This 'first light' milestone indicates that one of the main components of the Twinscan EXE:5000 system is operational, though not yet at peak performance.

ASML's Twinscan EXE High-NA EUV litho machines with projection optics featuring a 0.55 numerical aperture can achieve resolution of down to 8nm with a single exposure — down from typical Low-NA EUV systems that offer a 13.5nm resolution with a single exposure. The first of these systems is currently housed at ASML's laboratory in Veldhoven, Netherlands, while a second is being assembled at an Intel facility near Hillsboro, Oregon.

"Technically, this 'first light' actually is 'first light on the wafer,'" explained Marc Assinck, a spokesman for ASML. "The light source was already working, now we have the photons 'in resist' on the wafer."

 

[MuzzMelbourne]

Am I missing something... I thought TSMC were already producing commercial quantities of 3nm chips?

wHat's the big deal here...? (just for Digmor)

 

[Digmor Crusher]

Wat?

 

[Trident]

Wat?

Indeed… Intel + most + advanced…

 

[JoeN]

Resolution of this device is calculated using this formula Optical resolution - Wikipedia 13.5nm is the wavelength of the radiation used in the tool (EUV).

 

[ForgottenSeer 107474]

ASML also provides wafer machines to TSMC fab, there is a difference between slow layers (used in mobile chips) and fast layers (used in PC chips) that is why the ASML wafers used in Intel fab are called most advanced (they are fast layers). There are lot's of documentaries (of Financial Times and CNBC) on youtube of this topic, but the "ah I understand it now" versus "time spend watching videos" has a poor "knowledge gained/time invested" ratio.

Link with comparison Comparison of TSMC, Intel, and Samsung’s new process roadmaps for future chips

 

[MuzzMelbourne]

All this still means Intel and Samsung are playing catch-up. Having a transistor density of 520(Intel) and your own naming system is great for confusing potential investors but not much chop if you can't produce the flaming things at commercial levels.

Put simply, Intel have been dragging the industry down since the x86 days.

We were selling custom fabbed RISC chips in 1986 so ARM processor's were on the cards back then. But then the LIMS group took the industry down a rabbit hole we still haven't climbed out of.