ASML ships EUV scanner to Irish fab
Intel has taken delivery of its first EUV lithography system for its fab in Leixlip, Ireland,
The system, made by ASML in the Netherlands, is a key part of the Intel 4 process technology and will make Fab 34 the most advanced chip making plant in Europe. The company has ordered the first high NA lithography system from ASML that can be used for the 1.8nm process technology from 2025.
The scanner being installed in Ireland generates extreme UV (EUV) light at 13.5nm by spraying micro droplets of tin across a vacuum chamber and striking it with a 25KW CO2 Laser beam twice. The first low energy shot evaporates the droplet to a cloud shaped like a pancake, the second high energy shot transforms the cloud into a plasma that’s focused into a beam that bounces off a series of mirrors before picking up and focusing the circuitry image into the silicon wafer to print billions of transistors and other features on the wafer.
The scanner can print features as small as 13nm with an alignment precision of just over 1nm. This alignment precision allows the minimum feature sizes for the Intel 4 process.
The first system arrived in Ireland from Intel’s Technology Development fab in Oregon and means Fab 34 will be the first fab outside of the facility to run the new EUV technology.
The system consists of 100,000 parts, 3,000 cables, 40,000 bolts and more than a mile of hosing. It has taken 18 months of design and construction activity to prepare the Fab 34 building to receive the machine. The building was design around the scanner, which spans four levels of the factory, from the basement, through to the subfab to the fab. It has an inbuilt crane that extends 3m into the ceiling level. It also needs approximately 700 utility points of connection for its electrical, mechanical, chemical and gas supplies.
It was first transported by 4 Boeing 747 Cargo planes with pieces weighing up to 15 tonnes each. It completed the final part of its journey via road where it was carried by over 35 trucks.
Over 100 ASML staff are now supporting the build and set up of the system together with teams of trade contractors, Intel engineers and technicians.
A small group of engineers and managers have been working for several years in Oregon on the EUV technology for Intel’s Virtual Factory programme. They are now beginning to move from Oregon to Ireland to transfer their knowledge to the local team here.
Related articles
- Intel suspends all operations in Russia
- Intel confirms German fabs in €80bn European investment
- Intel to expand in France and Italy
- Intel launches blockchain chip
Other articles on eeNews Europe
- Chip packaging lead times rise to 50 weeks
- UK challenged to review Newport Fab takeover
- Earth digital twin project launches
- Europe teams on next generation FD-SOI technology
- US chip group makes recommendations for CHIPS Act funding
If you enjoyed this article, you will like the following ones: don't miss them by subscribing to :
