ASML teams up with Imec for sub-2nm process technologies with High-NA EUV chipmaking tools

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Imec will now have its own High-NA EUV tool.

Imec
(Image credit: Imec)

ASML and Imec this week established a five-year partnership designed to enable Imec's researchers and developers access to ASML's latest tools. The move is focused on sub-2nm process technologies that will require ASML's latest lithography (including High-NA), metrology, and inspection tools. Imec will ensure that engineers from academia and various companies have the latest equipment for their research, whereas ASML will ensure that its tools are incorporated into leading-edge process technologies.

Under the partnership, Imec will gain access to ASML's comprehensive range of advanced wafer fabricating equipment (WFE), including range-topping Twinscan NXT (DUV), Twinscan NXE (Low-NA EUV tools with a 0.33 numerical aperture optics), and Twinscan EXE (High-NA EUV tools with a 0.55 numerical aperture optics) lithography systems. Additionally, imec will incorporate ASML's YieldStar optical metrology solutions and HMI’s single- and multi-beam inspection tools into its facilities.

These tools will be installed in Imec's pilot line in Belgium and incorporated in the EU- and Flemish-funded NanoIC pilot line.

The latest-generation of equipment from ASML will be used to develop next-generation semiconductor production technologies, particularly sub-2nm fabrication technologies. It is believed that for efficient manufacturing at fabrication nodes below 2nm, lithography tools must support an 8nm resolution with a single exposure, something that only High-NA EUV tools can achieve. However, each High-NA EUV system costs $350 million, which makes it impossible for new players or researchers to obtain one.

(Image credit: Imec)

ASML and Imec researchers previously worked with High-NA (0.55 NA EUV) tools primarily at ASML’s dedicated research facilities in Veldhoven, Netherlands. ASML installed these first-generation High-NA EUV machines at its own sites for initial tests, evaluations, and collaborative research with Imec and other partners.

Now, under the new agreement, Imec will have direct, on-site access to High-NA equipment within its own research lines in Leuven, Belgium, specifically in its state-of-the-art pilot facility and the EU- and Flemish-funded NanoIC pilot line. This marks the first time Imec researchers can use the High-NA EUV technology directly at their own facility, which will speed up their work.

Providing Imec with access to the High-NA EUV technology was included in the Next Gen-7A project (IPCEI22201) and financed by the Dutch government as an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI).

"We are excited to continue our longstanding unique partnership with ASML, offering the industry access to the most advanced patterning solutions for over 30 years," states Luc Van den hove, President and CEO at Imec.

"The inclusion of ASML’s full product portfolio will allow us to expand and further mature the capabilities of our pilot line, providing the entire semiconductor ecosystem with the most advanced R&D to tackle the challenges of AI-driven technological advancements. Since Imec has a strong focus on sustainable innovation, having this explicitly included in our partnership is a great addition."

In addition to working collaboratively on next-generation sub-2nm nodes for logic chips, ASML and Imec plan to collaborate on DRAM process technologies, silicon photonics, and advanced packaging solutions.

Anton Shilov
Anton Shilov
Contributing Writer

Anton Shilov is a contributing writer at Tom’s Hardware. Over the past couple of decades, he has covered everything from CPUs and GPUs to supercomputers and from modern process technologies and latest fab tools to high-tech industry trends.

8 Comments Comment from the forums
  • shady28
    "However, each High-NA EUV system costs $350 billion..."

    Should read million, not billion.
    Reply
  • acadia11
    shady28 said:
    "However, each High-NA EUV system costs $350 billion..."

    Should read million, not billion.
    I read that and thought ... so basically the US would spend 10% of it'a annual budget just on a single High NA EUV system .... or half of what it spends on military each year. new players there would be like 3 countries in the world that could buy these machines if that were the case, let alone new players or academic institutions. The ROI would take how long ....
    Reply
  • Roland Of Gilead
    shady28 said:
    "However, each High-NA EUV system costs $350 billion..."

    Should read million, not billion.
    Your right. But, what stumps me is, why are ASML not charging more for these machines. Yes, they are absurdly expensive to begin with, but what would the likes of TSMC, Intel or any other fab do if ASML said they are $1 billion each? Those companies would have no choice to pay it, given how essential they are in the those companies producing chips in massive quantities, and the multiples of billions they make from it.
    Reply
  • thestryker
    Roland Of Gilead said:
    Your right. But, what stumps me is, why are ASML not charging more for these machines. Yes, they are absurdly expensive to begin with, but what would the likes of TSMC, Intel or any other fab do if ASML said they are $1 billion each? Those companies would have no choice to pay it, given how essential they are in the those companies producing chips in massive quantities, and the multiples of billions they make from it.
    They wouldn't buy them until they absolutely had to. Just look at the adoption of the High-NA machines at their current pricing. Intel is the only company buying a quantity of them that can deliver volume manufacturing. Despite ASML being a monopoly they do seem to be run by people who want to keep making money long term and fleecing your customers is a good way to get them to invest in competition.
    Reply
  • thestryker
    While I'm sure this is costing ASML more up front than they're getting out of it the long term benefits should more than pay for themselves. It sure seems like the cost to design these High-NA machines must have been immense. They've been making a lot of moves that aren't necessarily peak capitalist in the name of just getting them out there.
    Reply
  • jp7189
    Roland Of Gilead said:
    Your right. But, what stumps me is, why are ASML not charging more for these machines. Yes, they are absurdly expensive to begin with, but what would the likes of TSMC, Intel or any other fab do if ASML said they are $1 billion each? Those companies would have no choice to pay it, given how essential they are in the those companies producing chips in massive quantities, and the multiples of billions they make from it.
    The relationship is more complex and interdependent than a simple vendor/client. The success of the fabs means literally everything to ASML. Also, the fabs contribute significantly more to ASML than the simple cash of a purchase.
    Reply
  • shady28
    Roland Of Gilead said:
    Your right. But, what stumps me is, why are ASML not charging more for these machines. Yes, they are absurdly expensive to begin with, but what would the likes of TSMC, Intel or any other fab do if ASML said they are $1 billion each? Those companies would have no choice to pay it, given how essential they are in the those companies producing chips in massive quantities, and the multiples of billions they make from it.

    Every product has a sweet spot of maximum profitability on the supply / demand / price curve. The higher the price, the lower demand will be. The lower the price, the higher the demand. Important point here is that if you can't afford something, you are not part of 'demand'.

    Example of this would be, say you need and can afford at most a $30,000 new car. You would like to have a Toyota Land Cruiser, which starts ~$61,000. You are not part of demand. Now, if they lowered the price of the Land Cruiser to $30,000, you would be part of demand. Along with a lot of other people.

    So back to the subject at hand, with a price tag of $350M I can say that companies like UMC, GloFlo, ONSemi, and probably HP are not going to be part of demand. Demand is pretty much just going to be Intel and TSMC.

    So they won't be able to sell very many of these machines.

    To use your example, if they increased it to $1B each, you create a downstream issue. TSMC and Intel might buy some still - but not as many. They will have to push the cost to their customers, and as a result their customers will decrease in number, hence demand will decrease too. Then it becomes a specialty item, for example just for military or high end research, and you lose economy of scale. Instead of selling 50 over the next 5 years to Intel and TSMC, you wind up selling 2 or 3.

    Manufacturers have to know if there is a market for their product, how big it is and how valuable their product is. Most of these companies have people who do nothing but study this kind of stuff. I'd bet ASML uses a consultancy since they don't come out with new stuff all the time like say Sony or Ford.
    Reply
  • joeer77
    Good for IMEC. I've been there twice. They are research university. They have direct collaboration agreement with Intel. This move will benefit Intel too by accelerating EUV learnings. I'm sure ASML gave IMEC a discount on the tool if the Intel tool cost $500M.
    Reply