Canon is about to hand over low-cost 5nm chip manufacturing machines

Now, in Canon's latest announcement, the company says it will not only start shipping such devices this year, but also expects to master 2nm nano-printing technology over time.

Canon sắp bàn giao máy sản xuất chip 5nm giá rẻ- Ảnh 1. — Canon's 5nm chip-making machine is 10 times cheaper than ASML's

With conventional photolithography, the outlines of a circuit are drawn onto a silicon substrate by projecting an image through a photomask and then etching away the parts of the crystal not protected by the photomaterial. Canon's technology involves nano-printing the outline of a circuit onto silicon. It will allow for up to 10 times cost savings and a 90% reduction in energy costs compared to conventional photolithography, which is mainly used in the production of 3D NAND memory chips today.

According to the Japanese company's representative, the technology is ready for mass production and the delivery of special equipment to customers will begin this year. However, Canon's technology will not replace extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography technology on an industrial scale, but instead it is a supporting and cheaper solution.

The problem is that with the photolithography equipment market seeing delays of more than a year, Canon’s willingness to deliver 5nm chip-making machines this year will attract customers’ attention. One limitation Canon shared about their system is the high error rate, which experts say must not exceed 10% to be considered commercially attractive.

Canon is also aiming for 2nm nanochip printing technology. To do this, the company will have to rely on some additional equipment, although the adjustment is not significant.

The question is whether Chinese customers will be able to buy such equipment from Canon. It is not that simple. For one thing, Canon does not use US-made components and technology, so the US government cannot impose export restrictions on the Japanese company. On the other hand, Japan’s export restrictions on China are much broader than those in the US. As a result, access to Canon’s nano printers for Chinese companies is uncertain.

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