➀ A startup seeks government funding to disrupt the chip industry with a low-cost wafer patterning technology using multiple ion beams, potentially rendering existing fabs obsolete and democratizing chip production;

➁ The initiative risks undermining Western geopolitical strategies focused on maintaining dominance in advanced chip technology through heavy investments in entities like ASML and TSMC;

➂ The author plans to exploit the situation by both suppressing the startup for personal gain and privately investing in it, leveraging leaked claims of government backing to attract funding.

➀ Counterpoint Research released Q2 2025 rankings highlighting the top five wafer fab equipment (WFE) manufacturers by revenue;

➁ ASML dominated with $8.72 billion, followed by Applied Materials ($7.32B), Lam Research ($5.17B), Tokyo Electron ($3.8B), and KLA ($3.17B);

➂ The list underscores the critical role of semiconductor manufacturing leaders in advancing global chip production infrastructure.

➀ High-NA EUV lithography faces significant challenges in 2nm node manufacturing due to photon absorption stochastics and reduced depth of focus, leading to edge roughness and resolution limitations;

➁ Multipatterning becomes mandatory for via connections below 10 nm, requiring up to four masks for source-drain contacts even with advanced lithography tools;

➂ Self-aligned patterning techniques and diagonal grid layouts are critical to minimize mask layers and address center-to-center spacing as small as 40 nm.

➀ TSMC has secured 15 customers for its 2nm N2 process, with Apple reserving half of the initial capacity;

➁ NVIDIA plans a $500M investment in UK self-driving startup Wayve Technologies, enhancing AI-driven autonomous vehicles;

➂ Imec achieves breakthroughs in high-NA EUV lithography, enabling 20nm pitch structures for advanced semiconductors

➀ Nvidia's controversial investment in OpenAI sparks speculation about AI companies inflating valuations to sustain the AI narrative;

➁ Imec and ASML achieve breakthroughs in high numerical aperture EUV lithography, patterning 20nm-pitch structures for advanced ICs;

➂ Rendezvous Robotics secures $3M funding for its TESSERAE modular tile technology to enable large-scale in-orbit construction via swarm robotics.

➀ TSMC increased EUV-driven wafer production by 30x since 2019 and reduced tool power consumption by 24% through system-level optimizations;

➁ The company developed proprietary EUV pellicles with 4x lifespan and 80x lower defects, planning to retrofit a 200mm fab for mass production;

➂ TSMC enhanced photomask accuracy, planarization, and energy efficiency techniques to solidify its dominance in advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

➀ Intel's monopolistic mindset and dismissal of fabless models led to complacency, allowing TSMC and competitors to surpass its manufacturing dominance;

➁ Critical failures in 10nm/7nm process transitions, product delays, and strategic exits from mobile/GPU markets eroded Intel’s technological leadership;

➂ Despite recent government backing and leadership changes, Intel must regain trust through innovation and collaboration with fabless partners.

➀ In 2007, IMEC's Rudy Lauwereins stated that EUV was not mature enough for 32nm and likely 22nm semiconductor nodes, favoring immersion and double patterning techniques instead;

➁ Double patterning faced challenges like doubled mask costs and wafer throughput time, while device leakage issues at 22nm geometries highlighted scaling limits;

➂ IMEC proposed 3D-SIP (3D system-in-package) as a solution to sustain Moore’s Law momentum amid lithography and scaling barriers.

➀ X-Epic and Agile Analog announced a strategic collaboration to advance EUV lithography technology for semiconductor manufacturing;

➁ The partnership aims to optimize analog IP designs for EUV processes, enhancing performance and efficiency in advanced nodes;

➂ The collaboration will accelerate development of EDA tools tailored for 3nm and below process technologies, benefiting AI and HPC applications.

➀ ASML reported Q2 2025 net sales of €7.7B, a gross margin of 53.7%, and net income of €2.3B, exceeding guidance expectations;

➁ The company highlighted progress in EUV lithography, including the first shipment of the TWINSCAN EXE:5200B system and strong DRAM-driven litho intensity;

➂ While forecasting a 15% sales increase for 2025, ASML expressed uncertainty about 2026 due to macroeconomic and geopolitical challenges, despite strong AI customer demand.

➀ Ex-Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger advises Japan's Rapidus to develop unique differentiating technologies beyond production efficiency to compete with TSMC.

➁ Rapidus plans to integrate wafer fabrication and advanced packaging at the same facility for faster cycles, though full automation will not be available immediately from 2027.

➂ The company aims to begin 2nm test production with GAA transistors and establish a chiplets R&D center, utilizing ASML EUV lithography tools for future HBM and 3D packaging.

➀ Imec and Tokyo Electron (TEL) have extended their partnership to advance semiconductor R&D for nodes beyond 2nm, focusing on patterning, logic devices, memory, and 3D integration;

➁ Their prior collaboration achieved breakthroughs in High NA EUV lithography and EUV resist coating technology, critical for production-level EUV adoption;

➂ The renewed efforts target High NA patterning, CFET devices, and sustainable manufacturing processes to drive innovation and reinforce global semiconductor leadership.

➀ Imec fabricated Ruthenium (Ru) interconnects at a 16nm pitch using a semi-damascene process, achieving record-low resistance of 656Ω/µm;

➁ The integration flow combined EUV-based SADP and optimized Ru etching to enhance cost-effectiveness and yield, with 90%+ yields at 18-22nm pitches;

➂ Imec is advancing pillar-based self-aligned vias and epitaxial Ru films to further reduce resistance and expand multi-layer interconnect scalability.

➀ ASML accelerates its Brainport Industries Campus expansion in the Netherlands, targeting operational readiness by 2028 instead of 2030.

➁ The new campus spans 357,000 sqm (≈50 football fields) near Eindhoven, with infrastructure upgrades and €1.7B government support.

➂ Expansion aims to meet global demand for EUV machines, though challenges like power grid limits and land acquisition remain.

➀ University of Southampton installed JEOL JBX-8100 G3 EBL machine enabling sub-5nm structure processing in thick resist with vertical sidewalls;

➁ The 200kV system supports electron displacement and multi-domain applications (electronics/photonics/bio-nano), with a 300mm-wafer JEOL JBX-A9 tool to be added in late 2024;

➂ Funded by EPSRC, the facility integrates SEM and deep-UV lithography, using Genisys software for pattern optimization with ±9nm overlay accuracy.

➀ China has achieved a breakthrough in semiconductor research by establishing a fully functional EUV light source experimental platform;

➁ The Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics has reached a peak energy conversion efficiency of 3.42% in their EUV development efforts;

➂ This progress underscores China's commitment to technological independence despite increasing US export restrictions;

➃ China has become ASML's largest single market, accounting for 36.1% of total sales.

➀ A prototype for an E-Bike terminal has been developed at the Hochschule Karlsruhe (HKA) as part of a project aiming for sustainable mobility;

➁ The terminal is constructed primarily from renewable resources (wood) and is designed to be replicable in other locations;

➂ The project includes a solar power system to charge the E-bikes and features social components such as a meeting point for students and staff.

➀ This study explores the development of chitosan-silanized hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) nanocomposite films;

➁ It focuses on their structural, mechanical, and barrier properties;

➂ The research aims to enhance the performance of biodegradable polymer films, overcoming limitations of chitosan.

➀ MinebeaMitsumi has announced a tender offer to acquire thermistor specialist Shibaura Electronics to save it from a hostile takeover bid from Taiwan's Yageo Corp.;

➁ Shibaura Electronics, with a 13.5% world market share in thermistors, is a key player in vehicles, wind turbines, and industrial robots;

➂ Yageo Corp. plans to make a takeover bid on May 7th, offering $29 per share, but MinebeaMitsumi is offering $31 per share, totaling $485 million for the company.

➀ Ed在日记中透露，关税问题让他感到自豪，他预见到这将是Liz Truss故事的翻版，并相应地应对。

➁ 到周二晚上，关税已使全球股市价值蒸发10万亿美元，而到周四早上，股市又上涨了6万亿美元。

➂ 所有金融人士都说，当政府债券开始抛售时，总统将改变方向，就像Liz在她预算后大量出售金边债券时那样。