Technology (Page 80)

Canon has unveiled a brand-new nanoimprint lithography system that, according to the company, you exchange circuit patterns similar to those produced by 5nm EUV photolithgraphy. Additionally, it asserts that the transfer of 2nm-equivalent circuit patterns may be feasible thanks to the advancements in face technology it anticipates. & nbsp,

The most sophisticated integrated circuits( ICs ) created by Apple, Nvidia, and Intel would be made possible by ASML, which has a monopoly on the EUV( extreme ultraviolet ) photolithography equipment used by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company( TSMC ) & nbsp. & nbsp,

Nanoimprint printing is a small mold and stamping process, as opposed to photolithographic, which uses light from an image scanner to exchange circuit pattens to wafers that have been photosensitively resist-coated. In nanoimprint printing, the face is a mold, andnbsp.

Canon claims that the new climate power technology in its FPA-1200NZ2C nanoimprint system drastically lowers the number of flaws brought on by tiny particles produced during the manufacturing process. Canon has faced significant difficulties with defect reduction in its efforts to market nanoimprint IC printing. & nbsp,

Another challenging issue has been how to accurately align mold and wafer, but Canon’s announcement suggests that it is being resolved— at least for relatively straightforward devices without an excessive number of layers. The physical boundaries of nanoimprint systems are unknown, but the smallest semiconductor manufacturing process is likely to be commercialized within the next few centuries at 2 nanometers.

According to Fujio Mitarai, chairman and CEO of Canon, nanoimprint lithography could theoretically offer a 90 % reduction in power consumption, an overall processing cost reduction of 40 %, and equipment that is orders of magnitude less expensive than ASML’s EUV scanners.

Intel reportedly paid more than$ 340 million for one ASML’s next-generation high-NA ( numerical aperture ) models, which can cost US$ 150 million or more for EUV lithography systems. Only the largest semiconductor manufacturers can manage to utilize EUV because these costs are so high. Potential customers have asked Canon a lot of questions about nanoimprint printing because of the price change and their interest in the systems.

In reality, capacity is a problem with nanoimprint lithography as well. According to Canon,” complex two – or three-dimensional circuit patterns can be formed in a single depression, which may reduce the cost of ownership ,” but photolithography can read an entire chip or sizable portions of it to create multiple copies of the same design, whereas nanoimprint is primarily based on stamp-and-repeat technology.

Because of this, some industry experts think that rather than the intricate logic cards created by TSMC, nanolithography will first be used to create fairly straightforward memory cards. This could account for Canon’s long-standing collaboration with Kioxia, the second-largest NAND flash memory manufacturer after Samsung Electronics. Previously, Toshiba had a sector called Kioxia.

China profits are improbable.

North of Tokyo, Canon is constructing a new stock that is expected to begin making nanoimprint printing products in 2025. Kioxia reportedly intends to begin using nanoimprint printing in large creation of NAND flash memory that same year after nearly ten years of development.

Although it seems unlikely, there has been rumor that Canon may export nanolithography products to China. & nbsp,

Susumu Fujimori, a Japanese scientist who worked for Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation( NTT, Japan’s national telecommunication company ), invented and patented nanoimprint lithography in 1979. With the acquisition of & nbsp, Molecular Imprints, an outgrowth from the University of Texas, and npspan, Canon & NBSP, entered the nanoimprint market in 2014. & nbsp,

More than 170 patents have been granted to Molecular Imprints, which is now known as & nbsp, Canon Nanotechnologies and is used to design imprint-specific devices as well as print tools, materials, and masks. It’s unlikely that either the US or the Chinese government will permit China to purchase this technology. & nbsp,

On the other hand, Canon sells monitors, printers, and additional items to Chinese buyers along with older KrF and i-line type IC printing techniques as well as flat-panel-display systems. Yangtze Memory Technologies Corporation ( YMTC ), a manufacturer of NAND flash memories in China, might purchase its nanolithography systems if it were permitted.

However, as things stand, SK Hynix of South Korea, which also produces NAND flash memory, seems to be the second-most good customer. Canon has provided SK Hynix with nanolithography test equipment, similar to Toshiba / Kioxia.

The more sophisticated ArF DUV( deep violet ) printing techniques that have just been a part of the US, Netherlands, and Japan sanctions against China’s semiconductor business are not produced by Canon. Nikon does, but in terms of market share and manufacturing capacity, it comes in a distant second to ASML. In 2019, the export of EUV printing methods to China was outlawed.

Canon’s press release notes that its nanoimprint printing equipment can also be used to create meta-lenses( flat lens etched on golden ) and other optical parts, nearly as an afterthought. In actuality, making visual elements is the main application of nanoimprint printing today. Western companies EVG, SUSS MicroTec, and Obducat are the main rivals in this market. & nbsp,

With a perfection of at least 40 nm, EVG uses its nanoimprint tools to create visual waveguides, line grid polarizers and other visual components used in displays, 3D sensing, biometric, and photonics. The firm claims that the king templates’ duration is comparable to that of photomasks used in photolithography.

The micro-and nanoimprint mask aligner equipment from SUSS MicroTec is made to produce optical elements, MEMS / NEMS ( micro – and nano-électro-mechanical systems ), high-brightness LEDs( light-emitting diodes ), and VCELS( vertical-cavity surface – emitting lasers ) used in fiber optics, computer mice, and laser printers. & nbsp,

The nanoimprint technology used by Obducat is used to create a wide range of products, including GaN ( gallium nitride ) substrates for power electronics, semiconductor lasers, and biomedical devices. & nbsp,

Suzhou Guangduo Micro Nano Devices( GDNANO ) is a company that creates and produces micro – and nanoimprint tools for the semiconductor, photonics, MEMS, and other industries in China. Its newest system, which was created in 2011, is intended for mass production of LED-patterned sapphire materials. Although GDNANO is not yet a technological giant, it should still be kept an eye on. & nbsp,

Although ASML’s complete dominance on 5nm and smaller approach node lithography is in jeopardy due to Canon nanoimprint technology, it is not currently and most likely won’t be for at least a few more years.

However, it does show that there are various methods for producing semiconductors and raises the possibility that the repetitive cycle of ever-shrinking design rules made possible by the upcoming generation of equipment from a couple key suppliers is beginning to fail.

Tweet @ ScottFo83517667 to follow this author on andnbsp.

Continue Reading