As we all know, the current top lithography machine is ASML’s EUV lithography machine, which can manufacture 3nm chips. And in ASML’s plan, a new generation of High-NA extreme ultraviolet lithography machines will be delivered by 2024 or 2025.
This EUV lithography machine has a numerical aperture of 0.55NA, that is, a resolution (accuracy) of 8nm, and can manufacture chips of 2nm and 1.8nm.
Powerful than EUV lithography machine: American companies develop new lithography machines to create 0.7nm chips
As for below 1.8nm, what kind of lithography machine is used? Anyway, ASML has no plans yet, because no one knows how the technology will change after 1.8nm.
But recently, Zyvex, an American company, used a technology completely different from the EUV lithography machine to produce a chip of 768 picometers, which is 0.7nm.
And 0.7nm, which is almost equivalent to the width of 2 silicon atoms, is also the highest precision of silicon-based chips in theory, so many people think that when the chip precision reaches 1.8nm, the EUV lithography machine may not work. Using this lithography technology developed by Zyvex company.
Powerful than EUV lithography machine: American companies develop new lithography machines to create 0.7nm chips
What is Zyvex’s lithography technology? Its lithography system is named ZyvexLitho1, which is based on the STM scanning tunneling microscope and uses the EBL electron beam lithography method, which has nothing to do with extreme ultraviolet rays. It may be more appropriate to call it an electron beam lithography machine.
According to Zyvex, this Zyvex Litho1 is commercially available, and can also accept orders from others. It is not clear how much it costs, but the other party can ship the machine within 6 months.
Although it can be shipped to the outside world, it may be very difficult for domestic manufacturers to buy it. It is basically impossible. After all, EUV lithography machines are not available, let alone electron beam lithography machines with higher precision. .
Powerful than EUV lithography machine: American companies develop new lithography machines to create 0.7nm chips
Of course, silicon-based chips do not need this kind of electron beam lithography machine. Such high precision is more used for quantum computing chips to manufacture some high-precision quantum devices, nano-devices, etc.
In addition, the EBL electron beam lithography machine has very low production capacity. At least at present, it is not realistic to manufacture chips on a large scale. It can only manufacture quantum computing chips on a small scale. As for whether technology can be improved in the future to increase production capacity and replace EUV light Engraving machine, not sure.
But this may also mean that after the EUV lithography machine, the EBL electron beam lithography machine is a new direction, what do you think?