The counterattack of the loser in the lithography machine field
In the semiconductor field, lithography machines are like "the pearl on the industrial crown," and their technological level directly determines the limit of chip manufacturing processes. Nowadays, when it comes to this core equipment, the name ASML has almost become a synonym for the industry. This Dutch company, with its absolute control in the high - end lithography machine field, firmly dominates the global market. Especially in the EUV lithography machine field, it has formed a monopolistic pattern and has become the object of competition among global chip giants for cooperation.
However, the landscape of the lithography machine industry was not always like this.
Looking back at history, the names of two Japanese companies, Canon and Nikon, once wrote glorious chapters in this field. In the 1980s and 1990s, when the semiconductor industry entered the era dominated by lithography technology, Canon and Nikon, with their technological breakthroughs in step - by - step lithography machines, scanning lithography machines and other fields, once occupied most of the global market share and were the well - deserved industry giants at that time. At that time, ASML was just a latecomer struggling to break through in the technology catch - up.
However, the drastic changes in the industrial landscape are often closely related to the choice of technology routes.
At the critical junctures of focusing on the 157nm wavelength immersion lithography technology and the leap from DUV (deep ultraviolet) to EUV (extreme ultraviolet) technology, Canon and Nikon gradually fell behind in the competition due to their misjudgment of the technology routes. ASML seized the opportunity, integrated global technology resources, and bet on the EUV route, gradually surpassing its predecessors and finally establishing its current hegemonic position.
The once industry kings have thus lost their luster in the wave of technological iteration and become the "losers" in the lithography track. Looking at the current global lithography machine market landscape, ASML leads the high - end lithography machine field, while Canon and Nikon occupy part of the market share in the mid - and low - end lithography equipment fields such as KrF and i - line.
But the story of the semiconductor industry never ends with temporary success or failure. Even when ASML is leading the way, former lithography giants like Canon and Nikon have not fallen into silence. They may have temporarily left the center stage of the high - end market, but they have never stopped exploring lithography technology.
Facing new industrial demands and technological possibilities, these "losers" are finding ways to break the deadlock in their own ways. With continuous R & D investment and attempts at new technology directions, they are waiting to find their own positions in the changing industrial landscape again. Their exploration also lays new foreshadows for the future of the lithography machine industry.
Lithography Machine Losers Explore New Ideas
Since ASML established its hegemonic position in the advanced lithography machine field with EUV technology, other manufacturers, although frustrated in the high - end market, have never stopped looking for new breakthrough points to reshape their positions in the lithography technology field.
Canon's Exploration to Break the Deadlock
Taking a Different Path, Canon Bets on Nanoimprint Lithography Technology
In terms of technology R & D, Canon takes a different path and regards nanoimprint lithography technology (NIL) as the core development direction.
This technology is completely different from traditional lithography technology. Traditional lithography transfers circuit patterns onto a wafer coated with photoresist through optical projection, while Canon's nanoimprint lithography technology is more like "stamping." It directly presses a mask engraved with semiconductor circuit diagrams onto the wafer, and a single imprint can form complex two - dimensional or even three - dimensional circuits.
In October 2023, Canon launched the nanoimprint equipment FPA - 1200NZ2C, successfully achieving a minimum line - width patterning of 14 nanometers. This achievement has reached the 5 - nanometer node required for today's most advanced logic semiconductor production. With the continuous improvement of mask technology, Canon claims that it is expected to push the minimum line width to 10 nanometers, indicating that it is moving towards the ambitious 2 - nanometer node. These achievements all demonstrate the excellent strength of nanoimprint lithography technology in terms of precision and innovation, and also mark that nanoimprint lithography technology has substantially entered the field of advanced chip manufacturing.
To enhance the competitiveness of nanoimprint lithography technology, Canon integrates its technological advantages in multiple fields such as optics and materials science. Its long - accumulated precision optical technology is applied to optimize the alignment accuracy between the mask and the wafer, ensuring the accurate transfer of circuit patterns during the imprint process.
In terms of material R & D, Canon is committed to developing photoresists and mask materials suitable for nanoimprint lithography technology to improve the pattern replication quality and the durability of the equipment. For example, by improving the formula of the photoresist, Canon makes it have higher fidelity to the pattern during the imprint process, reducing problems such as pattern deformation and thus improving the yield rate of chip manufacturing.
As early as 2014, Canon acquired Molecular Imprints, a company focusing on the R & D of basic nanoimprint technology. Before that, Molecular Imprints was committed to using nanoimprint technology to complete the 32nm logic node manufacturing, but was hindered by problems such as production efficiency, funds, and yield rate. After the acquisition, Canon skillfully integrated its own lens technology with Molecular Imprints' exposure technology, successfully establishing a preliminary framework for nanoimprint technology R & D and accelerating the R & D process of nanoimprint technology.
Subsequently, the cooperation with Japanese memory chip manufacturer Kioxia is an important layout for Canon in the nanoimprint technology field. In the past decade, the two sides have jointly invested a large amount of resources to conduct research and optimization on the practical application of nanoimprint technology in chip manufacturing. During the cooperation, Kioxia proposed in 2021 that nanoimprint technology can significantly reduce energy consumption and equipment costs, and this view has been verified in practice.
In addition, Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP), as a semiconductor component manufacturer, is highly skilled in the production of key components such as masks. Canon cooperates with DNP to focus on solving the mask problems in nanoimprint technology. The mask is a key part of nanoimprint technology, and its quality directly affects the accuracy of pattern transfer and the yield rate of chip manufacturing. Canon uses DNP's advantages in materials and manufacturing processes to continuously improve mask technology, enabling nanoimprint equipment to achieve more precise patterning. For example, through the cooperative R & D of new mask materials, the durability and pattern fidelity of the mask are improved, effectively reducing problems such as pattern deformation and providing a guarantee for improving the quality of chip manufacturing.
This series of industrial cooperation has become an important strategy for Canon to explore new paths.
In 2024, Canon successfully delivered the FPA - 1200NZ2C equipment to the Texas Institute of Electronics (TIE), a semiconductor alliance located in Texas, USA. TIE members include global leading chip companies such as Intel, NXP, and Samsung, as well as public sectors and academic organizations.
This milestone event marks that Canon's nanoimprint lithography technology has taken a solid step in the semiconductor manufacturing field. Through cooperation with these institutions, Canon can obtain more feedback on actual production needs and further promote the improvement and application expansion of nanoimprint technology.
Nanoimprint Lithography Technology: Advantages and Challenges Coexist
Compared with EUV lithography, nanoimprint lithography technology shows significant advantages in multiple dimensions, bringing new development ideas and possibilities to the chip manufacturing industry.
First, in terms of cost: Nanoimprint lithography technology has an absolute advantage. The EUV lithography machine integrates complex and expensive components such as ultra - precision optical systems and extreme ultraviolet light sources, making the price of a single device soar to hundreds of millions of dollars. Considering the subsequent maintenance and upgrade costs, the cost is even more astonishing. In terms of hardware composition, nanoimprint equipment does not need to build a large and complex optical projection system like the EUV lithography machine, nor does it need to be equipped with high - cost light source components for generating extreme ultraviolet light. Canon CEO Fujio Mitarai once revealed that the price of nanoimprint equipment is an order of magnitude lower than that of EUV lithography machines.
In terms of energy consumption: Kioxia's research data shows that the nanoimprint technology process is simple, and the power consumption of its equipment is only 10% of that of EUV technology, and the equipment investment cost can be reduced to 40% of that of EUV equipment. For chip manufacturers, this means that in the process of large - scale chip production, using nanoimprint technology can significantly reduce the upfront equipment procurement cost and long - term operation cost. Especially for small semiconductor manufacturers, the low - threshold equipment investment and operation cost provide the possibility for them to enter the advanced chip manufacturing field.
Analyzed from the technical principle and process: EUV lithography is based on the projection imaging principle of extreme ultraviolet light. The process of transferring circuit patterns from the mask to the wafer coated with photoresist is restricted by physical laws such as the optical diffraction limit. To achieve higher resolution, it is necessary to continuously optimize the optical system and improve the performance of the light source, with extremely high R & D difficulty. Nanoimprint lithography technology is completely different. It uses a "stamping" - like method to directly press a pre - engraved semiconductor circuit diagram mask onto the photoresist layer on the wafer, and a single imprint can form complex two - dimensional or even three - dimensional circuits. This method avoids the diffraction limit in lithography in terms of physical principles and can theoretically achieve higher - resolution pattern transfer.
For example, Canon's nanoimprint equipment FPA - 1200NZ2C can achieve a minimum line - width patterning of 14 nanometers, and with the improvement of mask technology, it is expected to reach 10 nanometers, which is sufficient to support the production of 5 - nanometer process logic semiconductors and has reached the precision level of the advanced chip manufacturing field. At the same time, nanoimprint lithography technology does not require multiple repeated exposures, reducing the cumulative errors caused by multiple exposures, improving the accuracy and consistency of pattern replication, and having great potential in improving the chip yield rate.
In terms of market layout: Canon chooses to avoid ASML's main track and focus on specific niche markets, gradually penetrating. EUV lithography machines are mainly used in the manufacturing of advanced - process chips, serving the high - end market with extremely high requirements for chip performance and integration, such as high - performance computing chips, smartphone chips, AI chips and other fields, but their high cost and complex technology limit the application scope. With its cost advantage, nanoimprint lithography technology is highly competitive in niche markets that are cost - sensitive and have certain requirements for process precision, such as the 3D NAND flash memory chip manufacturing field.
In the 3D NAND field, although the requirements for chip process precision are high, there are still certain differences compared with the most advanced logic chip processes, and it is more sensitive to cost. Nanoimprint equipment can meet its precision requirements while significantly reducing production costs. For example, Kioxia and Canon have in - depth cooperation and actively promote the application of nanoimprint technology in the mass production of 3D NAND flash memory chips. By establishing a foothold in niche markets first, Canon can accumulate practical experience, improve technology, and build a market reputation, laying a foundation for subsequent expansion into more complex chip manufacturing markets.
In addition, the optical device and biomedical fields also benefit from the development of nanoimprint lithography technology. For example, AR/VR glasses use the NIL process to achieve mass production of micro - nano structure gratings. The breakthrough in large - area nanoimprint technology makes it possible to accurately print complex lens or prism structures on substrates such as glass or film, providing strong support for the development of high - precision display technology.
In addition, for some small - batch and diversified chip production needs, such as chip R & D by scientific research institutions and customized chips for specific fields, nanoimprint lithography technology enables chip design manufacturers to even complete small - batch chip production by themselves without relying on wafer foundries, increasing the flexibility and diversity of the industrial ecosystem.
Overall, with the launch of Canon's FPA - 1200NZ2C lithography machine, it is expected to break the EUV monopoly and open up a new path for global chip manufacturing. In the 5nm chip manufacturing field, it has always been monopolized by EUV lithography machines, while other advanced DUV lithography machines can only reach the 7nm process and are difficult to break through. However, Canon's new equipment has broken this pattern, demonstrating its innovative strength in chip manufacturing technology.
However, nanoimprint lithography technology also faces many challenges in the development process.
Technically, ensuring the stability and yield rate of nanoimprint lithography technology in large - scale production is a key challenge. Due to the direct contact between the wafer and the mask, it is easy to mix in small garbage and dust, resulting in defective products and seriously affecting the yield rate. At the same time, the current mask process has insufficient improvement in surface roughness. With the advancement of miniaturization, the roughness problem needs to be quantitatively evaluated and strictly controlled based on the pattern pitch ratio. How to ensure the durability and high precision of the template, how to effectively reduce wafer deformation and pollution problems, and how to further improve the imprint speed and efficiency are all technical problems to be solved urgently.
In terms of industrialization, this technology is incompatible with the existing production lines based on DUV or EUV lithography. If existing large - scale chip manufacturers adopt nanoimprint lithography technology, they need to establish a new production line from scratch, which undoubtedly increases the difficulty and cost of technology promotion.
In addition, this technology has not been verified and optimized for a long time, and its reliability and compatibility need time to improve. Therefore, most semiconductor manufacturers still tend to use the mature EUV lithography technology, and the acceptance of nanoimprint lithography technology is relatively low.
In fact, nanoimprint lithography technology is not exclusively developed by Canon. Its concept was first proposed by IBM in the United States in 1996 and has been continuously improved and developed by many research institutions and enterprises. However, due to technical problems such as template production, wafer alignment, and photosensitive material curing, this technology has never been commercially applied.
In summary, Canon's nanoimprint lithography technology, with its unique innovation and forward - looking nature, brings a brand - new lithography solution to the semiconductor industry, bringing not only new development opportunities but also challenges and changes in the industry.
Despite many challenges, it is undeniable that Canon, with the cost advantage, high - resolution potential and unique three - dimensional structure processing ability of nanoimprint lithography technology, has stood out in many fields, opening up a new development path for the industry and having a non - negligible impact on the entire lithography machine industry landscape. With the continuous maturity and improvement of the technology, it is expected to be widely applied in more fields in the future, reshaping the semiconductor and micro - nano manufacturing industrial ecosystem.
Canon Re - enters the ArF Lithography Market
In the fierce competition of lithography technology, in addition to vigorously developing nanoimprint lithography technology, Canon is also actively exploring new ideas and making new explorations in multiple other directions, striving to break through the competition with ASML and reshape its position in the lithography field.
For example, re - entering the ArF lithography equipment market to fill the process gap is one of Canon's major moves. Canon announced in 2024 that it would re - enter the ArF lithography equipment market and planned to launch new products in the second half of 2025.
This move is of great significance. Since 2003, Canon has temporarily stopped the R & D and launch of new ArF lithography equipment. Its return after 22 years is a sharp response to the changing market demand. Previously, Canon's semiconductor lithography equipment business mainly focused on non - advanced process fields with longer wavelengths, such as i - line and KrF lithography equipment. However, as semiconductor manufacturing processes continue to become more refined, the demand for finer line widths is increasing, and i - line and KrF lithography equipment can no longer meet the requirements of specific processes in fields such as logic chips.
The upcoming ArF lithography equipment is based on the technology accumulated by Canon in KrF lithography equipment and is innovatively equipped with a new lens design suitable for ArF. The cleverness of this design lies in that it allows existing KrF lithography equipment users to more easily accept the new equipment, significantly reducing the time and capital costs required for factory transformation. Moreover, the new equipment has a significant improvement in throughput and strengthens the alignment correction function, further improving the overlay accuracy. Canon clearly targets the production of 65 - nanometer line - width logic chips and CMOS image sensors, precisely cutting into the market gap, using its own technical foundation and market base in the lithography equipment field, trying to establish a foothold in this niche market, improve product layout, and enhance market competitiveness.
Nikon's Transformation Path: Deep - Diving into Niche Markets and Technological Upgrades
In the lithography machine market, Nikon was once a well - deserved industry pioneer. Especially in the era of dry lithography