To date, Dai Nippon Printing is introducing the Nanoimprint Lithography for advanced semiconductors.
The Japanese startup Dai Nippon Printing (DNP) has brought forth something significant with regards to the development of semiconductor manufacturing processes for the nanoimprint lithography (NIL) technology. It intends to make a more efficient alternative from the industry's currently employed intricate and expensive equipment.
Technologies and Applications
DNP's nanoimprint lithography can fabricate circuit patterns with as narrow a line width as about 10 nm. These technologies apply to next-generation logic chips of 1.4 nm.
A few possible applications for these new chips include:
- Processors for smartphones
- Hardware for data centers
- NAND memory devices
Benefits Compared with Conventional Methods
Nanoimprint lithography has significant comparative advantages over the current industry leader, EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) photolithography. According to DNP, the cost of investment in its NIL process will not be on the same scale with that of the two methods above.
The primary advantage is reduced electricity demand. DNP estimates that energy consumed, on average, for the lithographic process can be reduced by approximately 10 times compared to traditional EUV methods.
Time for Manufacturing
The company has already begun testing the technology with customers and is unveiling it publicly at SEMICON Japan 2025. DNP expects to commence bulk production using this nanoimprint lithography technique in 2027.
