The Japanese Canon wants to compete with ASML. The company has proposed manufacturing facilities that would enable the production of 5nm chips.

Canon says it has developed hardware that allows it to build advanced microchips. The Japanese company introduced the FPA-1200NZ2C, a machine with Nano Imprint Lithography (NIL) technology. Chipmakers can use this device to bake 5nm chips. Canon is confident that the machine can be further developed to support the production of 2nm chips in the future.

Lights off, mask on

Classic chip manufacturing works with light. Microchips are created by using light to project patterns onto a wafer layer by layer, thereby etching components into light-sensitive material. With NIL technology, patterns are no longer projected. They are printed directly onto a wafer via a mask like a stamp. Since the patterns are no longer transferred via an optical mechanism, they are reproduced much more accurately on wafers. This method would also be more cost-effective.

According to Canon, the FPA-1200NZ2C can handle a line width of 14 nm. This would correspond to the 5 nm production process. The company also says it can achieve a line width of 10 nm with further improvements to the masks. This would even make it possible to produce 2 nm chips.

This new device works with recently developed environmental control technology. This means that the risk of fine particles getting into the machines is significantly lower. Since there is no use of light sources with a specific wavelength, this system also consumes significantly less than photolithography technology. For example, the production of 5nm chips would cause significantly fewer CO2 emissions.

No competition for ASML (yet).

In theory, Canon’s device means that the Dutch ASML could have competition. Currently, ASML is the only company producing lithography machines for advanced processes such as 5nm. Thanks to the monopoly, the devices are indispensable parts of every chip production line. Canon could offer an alternative, but there’s a good chance it won’t be as successful right away.

Nanoimprint lithigraphy is not a new invention. Historically, the company has never really managed to break into the forefront of chip production due to various issues. Even if Canon solves this problem, it will still be several years before the device reaches production. The production of memories seems to be a first hurdle that needs to be overcome.

If everything works as expected, microchips may be in order. However, chips are designed for the machines and production process that will be used to bake them. So it’s not like Nvidia, for example, can simply transfer a design for TSMC using ASML machines to a Canon production line in the future.

Canon’s announcement is still important because it shows that there are multiple paths to successful mass production of advanced microchips.