Canon Delivers First Nanoimprint Lithography Equipment

On September 26, Canon announced its intention to supply its next-generation manufacturing equipment, the Nanoimprint Lithography (NIL) machine, for semiconductor production. This initial batch will be delivered to the Electronic Research Institute in Texas, USA.

The NIL equipment is designed to etch circuit patterns onto silicon wafers during semiconductor processing. Unlike traditional methods that rely on intense light to create these circuits, Canon's technology utilizes a stamping-like technique, transferring nano-scale patterns from a mask onto the wafers.

Currently, advanced semiconductor processes employ Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, with ASML being the sole manufacturer of EUV lithography equipment globally. Canon's innovative NIL machine has been refined to potentially produce semiconductors at the 2-nanometer scale, aiming to challenge ASML's position in the lithography market. The advantages of nanoimprint technology include reduced power consumption and lower production costs compared to conventional light-based methods.

The NIL equipment can create circuit patterns with a minimum line width of 14 nanometers, suitable for 5-nanometer semiconductor processes. This performance is comparable to the capabilities of ASML's EUV lithography systems, which can achieve a minimum line width of 13 nanometers with an aperture size of 0.33.

Canon has been developing this technology since 2014, with sales of the equipment set to begin on October 13, 2023. This shipment marks the first delivery following the product's announcement.

Kazunori Iwamoto, Deputy General Manager of Canon's Optical Equipment Division, stated, "Our goal is to sell dozens of units annually within the next three to five years."