Intel's Race for Semiconductor Supremacy: The High-NA EUV Revolution

 By Nadim Kahwaji

In the ever-advancing field of chip-making, the complexity and cost of semiconductor manufacturing have skyrocketed. As a result, only a select group of industry leaders, including Intel, TSMC, and Samsung, can afford the cutting-edge technology and substantial R&D required to stay at the forefront of the semiconductor industry.

Key players in the semiconductor industry, such as Intel, TSMC, and Samsung, rely on Dutch company ASML for state-of-the-art lithography machines. ASML's dominant position in the industry, especially in lithography equipment production, underscores its importance to the competitive semiconductor landscape.

In this fiercely competitive environment, acquiring the latest lithography machines from ASML becomes a race among tech giants. These machines play a pivotal role in enabling testing and re-calibration, offering companies a crucial advantage in the semiconductor industry.

The urgency to secure these cutting-edge tools highlights their significance in the quest for technological supremacy. However, acquiring these machines is just the first step.

The installation and re-calibration of these advanced machines present their own complex challenges, often causing significant delays, sometimes stretching to years, before production can begin. Companies strive to secure these machines early to gain a head start over their rivals.

TSMC has established itself as a leader in advanced lithography, particularly with its adoption of EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) technology, giving it a competitive edge. Meanwhile, Intel has faced obstacles in keeping up, notably with its 10nm technology.

Intel's journey with 10nm technology has been marked by delays and technical issues. Initially announced in 2015, the launch of mass-produced 10nm processors was postponed, forcing Intel to rely on the 14nm process for an extended period. It wasn't until late 2019 that Intel introduced consumer processors based on the 10nm process, with the release of the "Ice Lake" processors for laptops. These processors, part of Intel's 10th generation Core series, marked the company's significant venture into 10nm technology for consumers.

Subsequently, Intel re-branded its process technology, naming the 10nm process as "Intel 7." Intel has announced the "Intel 4" process with its upcoming Meteor Lake processors, showcasing its continuous efforts to refine semiconductor manufacturing.

Intel's CEO, Pat Gelsinger, is determined to restore Intel's leadership in the industry, targeting a surpassing of TSMC by 2025, primarily through the utilization of its cutting-edge 18A technology.

Furthermore, Intel is making substantial strides in semiconductor manufacturing. The company has acquired the new Twinscan EXE:5000 extremeultraviolet (EUV) scanner, priced between $300 and $400 million per unit. This state-of-the-art machine highlights Intel's commitment to advancing its manufacturing capabilities.

 

The first generation of EUV lithography machines, utilizing a numerical aperture (NA) of 0.33, achieved a breakthrough in chip-making with a resolution of 13nm. The evolution of this technology into high-NA EUV lithography, employing a higher numerical aperture of 0.55, now allows for an even finer resolution of 8nm.

The transition from 0.33 NA to 0.55 NA in EUV lithography is significant. A higher numerical aperture enables tighter light focusing, facilitating finer, more precise patterning on silicon wafers. This enhancement is crucial for advanced chip performance, where smaller and denser transistors are essential.

One of the major benefits of this technological advancement is the elimination of the need for EUV double patterning. Double patterning is a complex method used when a single lithographic exposure can't achieve the required resolution, necessitating two exposures. With the improved 8nm resolution in high-NA EUV lithography, the fabrication process becomes streamlined, simplifying chip manufacturing and accelerating production.

High-NA EUV lithography machines represent the pinnacle of complexity and size in semiconductor manufacturing, with some units towering to the height of a three-story building. These machines embody precision engineering and sophisticated design, catering to modern chip production demands. In response to their impressive size, Intel plans to construct a new fabrication expansion near Hillsboro, Oregon, designed to accommodate these towering machines.

The shift from regular EUV to High-NA EUV scanners is significant, primarily due to the halved reticle size in High-NA scanners. The reticle, or photomask, is crucial in lithography, carrying the circuit pattern to be imprinted on the silicon wafer. A smaller reticle size limits the pattern area for each exposure, requiring adjustments in chip design and manufacturing processes. Additionally, the smaller reticle size and enhanced resolution in High-NA scanners demand new photoresists, materials, masks, and quality control equipment. Adapting to these changes means significant investments in new infrastructure, as the entire manufacturing ecosystem must accommodate the smaller reticle size.

Intel expects these machines, set to receive numerous orders, to significantly ramp up high-volume production in the 2025-2026 time frame, particularly focusing on their 18A process technology.

The race for semiconductor manufacturing supremacy is heating up. Intel has gained an early advantage through recent acquisitions and initiatives, Whether Intel can build on this momentum to retain its supremacy remains to be seen, and the period of 2025-2026 will provide the answer to Intel's success in this highly competitive arena.