Intel Corporation has officially started mass production of Intel 4 technology at its Fab 34 factory in Leixlip, Ireland. The event, organized by Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, marks a major step forward in semiconductor technology.

Intel’s 4 process using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography is Intel’s step into a future filled with cutting-edge products, from processors that revolutionize artificial intelligence in computers to chips that power the world’s largest data centers.

Central to this success is the integration of EUV lithography technology, an incredible precision that allows the identification of smaller and more complex elements of the microcircuit. EUV machines supplied by Dutch manufacturer ASML represent the pinnacle of engineering and boast stunning precision. These massive bus-sized machines cost about $150 million each and play a key role in Intel’s quest for technological superiority.

Intel’s general manager of technology development, Ann Kelleher, highlighted the company’s progress, saying two production runs have been successfully completed and a third is on the way. The Leixlip facility is a testament to Intel’s unwavering commitment to innovation; It boasts an intricate network of overhead robots that run a 22-kilometer track and enable the seamless movement of silicon wafers from one cutting-edge tool to another.

The Irish factory is now preparing to produce chips, including the long-awaited Meteor Lake PC processors. Intel’s investment in this initiative was significant; The US$18.5 billion spent to double the manufacturing area at Leixlip was staggering. This expansion is consistent with Intel’s ambitious plans to develop five generations of technology in just four years, confirming the company’s ambition to regain leadership in the processes by 2025.

The start of mass production using the Intel 4 process at Leixlip heralds a new era of innovation where the boundaries of what is possible in computing are constantly pushed.