Canon offered the setup under the name FPA-1200NZ2C, which allows you to make 5-nanometer chips. This is the first commercial solution of its kind, but there will be others: Canon will develop the system so that it can be used to make 2-nanometer chips in the future.

Most importantly, an alternative approach to traditional photolithography is used here. The FPA-1200NZ2C is based on the principle of nanoimprint lithography: a stamp with nanorelief is used instead of a photo template as in classical optical lithography. And nanorelief serves to create a mask from the polymer layer on the surface of the semiconductor substrate. Canon assures that nanoimprint lithography is simpler and cheaper.

“Because the new solution does not require a light source of a specific wavelength, it can significantly reduce power consumption compared to state-of-the-art semiconductor photolithography equipment, thus helping to reduce CO2 emissions,” said Canon..

It is unlikely that the equipment of the Japanese company will be of interest to the same TSMC, but China, for example, would be happy to receive machines capable of producing 5 nanometer chips. Huawei has already increased its purchases of ASML DUV lithographers and it is possible that it is also interested in the FPA-1200NZ2C.