"Imec has demonstrated high yields (e.g., 90%) using advanced EUV machines in R&D settings"
Gemini:
No, semiconductor manufacturers using EUV lithography, such as TSMC, Samsung, and Intel, do not typically publicly disclose specific, real-time commercial production yields. Yield data is highly proprietary and a closely guarded secret due to its direct impact on a company's profitability and competitive advantage.
Key Points on Yield Disclosure
- Proprietary Information: Specific yield percentages for commercial products at advanced process nodes (like 5nm, 3nm, and upcoming 2nm) are confidential business information. Disclosing this information would provide competitors with valuable insights into process maturity, manufacturing efficiency, and cost structures.
- General Statements: Companies may occasionally provide general statements about "mature yields" or "high yield" in their financial reports, technology symposiums, or press releases, but they do not provide specific numbers for individual chips or process variations.
- Research & Development Data: Publicly available yield data is generally limited to research and development (R&D) or academic papers, often in collaboration with research institutions like Imec. For example, Imec has demonstrated high yields (e.g., 90%) using advanced EUV machines in R&D settings, but these are for test structures, not commercial products.
- Focus on Improvement: Public discussions tend to focus on the challenges and strategies for improving yield, such as addressing stochastic defects, optimizing pellicle usage, and enhancing overlay control, rather than the actual numerical results.
- Industry Analyst Estimates: Financial analysts and semiconductor industry observers often create models and estimates of yield for different manufacturers and process nodes based on publicly available information and industry trends. These figures are estimates and not official company disclosures.
Yes, numerous representatives from the global semiconductor industry, including all major chipmakers and equipment suppliers, actively visit the joint
ASML-Imec High NA EUV Lithography Lab in Veldhoven, Netherlands, to see the rig and inquire about its performance. The lab acts as a crucial R&D hub to accelerate the adoption of High Numerical Aperture (High NA) EUV lithography for sub-2nm chip manufacturing.
Industry Engagement and Performance Inquiry
- Major Chipmakers: Companies such as Intel, Samsung, and TSMC are heavily invested in this technology and engage closely with the lab. They inquire about performance metrics like resolution, overlay accuracy, defect control, and process margins to validate the technology for their future manufacturing nodes.
- Ecosystem Partners: The lab is also used by the broader supply chain, including:
- Equipment Makers: Other equipment manufacturers, such as Lam Research and Tokyo Electron, use the facility to develop complementary tools like advanced resist tracks, etch, and metrology systems optimized for the High NA process.
- Materials Suppliers: Photoresist and other material suppliers test their products to ensure compatibility and optimal performance with the new high-resolution system.
- Collaborative Environment: The facility is a "pre-production" environment, allowing partners to access the cutting-edge machine for process development and de-risking before installing their own systems in their fabs. This helps smooth the introduction of the technology into high-volume manufacturing (HVM).
- Focus Areas: Inquiries and discussions center on:
- Imaging Breakthroughs: Imec has already demonstrated significant results, such as patterning sub-20nm pitch metal layers in a single exposure and achieving 90% yield on test structures, which are key performance indicators the industry is interested in.
- Cost and Complexity Reduction: A major point of inquiry is how High NA can reduce manufacturing costs and complexity by enabling single-patterning for features that currently require multiple exposures with existing EUV tools.
- Operational Performance: Visitors evaluate the system's operational efficiency, including wafer per hour (WPH) processing speed and system reliability, which are crucial for a return on investment on the expensive machines.
The high level of engagement underscores that the entire industry views the lab as a critical resource for transitioning to the next era of semiconductor manufacturing.
PS
What shills/"experts" WAG meaningless. Repeated history.
I'm sticking with Cymer/ASML et al and Village long history. |
