TSMC er altså ved at starte 2nm produktion i slutningen af året og 1.4nm produktion ifølge nuværende planer i 2028. Ifølge nedenstående nyhed er der indkøbt standard EUV-udstyr (ikke High NA) til 1.4nm produktion. Nyheden uddyber sagen. En storstilet investering, da 30 ældre enheder er under indkøb.
TSMC is already moving at lightning speed, with R&D of the 1.4nm process starting at the Hsinchu plant, with the acquisition of 30 EUV machines.
Det interessante for os i nyheden er følgende:
However, one move that TSMC refuses to make is to purchase ASML High-NA EUV machines, which cost $400 million apiece. However, this equipment will ensure the reliability in manufacturing 1.4nm and 1nm wafers at a higher yield. The company likely believes that the dollar value attached to this hardware does not equate to its actual value, which is why, according to Dan Nystedt and Commercial Times, TSMC is moving to photomask pellicles instead. Processes of sub-2nm must have a pellicle in the mix to prevent dust and other particles from contaminating the procedure.
Her er yderligere begrundelser for, hvorfor pellicles er obligatoriske med ældre udstyr i <2nm klassen:
Again, this is a costly move that is accompanied by a great deal of complications. For instance, when producing 1.4nm and 1nm wafers using standard EUV machines, more exposure will be necessary, meaning that the photomask will be used often to achieve success, which can compromise yields. During this phase, the use of pellicles will be absolutely mandatory to prevent the aforementioned dust particles and contaminants from entering the wafer-manufacturing stage.
Ud fra dette kunne man nok drage den konklusion, at pellicles så er obligatoriske fra 2028 for TSMC’s vedkommende. Og at ‘den, der tilbyder dem pellicles, er lykkelig’?
Tidligere i TJ-oversigten var det også nævnt, at 1.6nm ville starte i H2/2026, men dette bør kontrolleres. Jeg ved ikke, om pellicles også er obligatoriske her. En sådan konklusion kunne drages ud fra den ovennævnte nyhed.
edit. her er også TSMC’s roadmap, hvor 1.6nm er i 2026