Although it has been eliminated in EUV lithography machines, Japan is still the world's second largest supplier of lithography machines. In recent years, Japanese companies have also been working hard to develop lithography solutions that can replace EUV. They have chosen the NIL nanoimprint technology route. Japanese companies such as Canon and Nikon have demonstrated this technology before, and now Japan's DNP Company (Dainippon Printing Co., Ltd.) has also announced the development of 10nm NIL nanoimprint technology, which can directly print circuit diagrams on the substrate.This technology can be used for logic chip exposure in the 1.4nm process.
In terms of specific technology, DNP's 10nm nanoimprint technology uses SADP self-aligned dual patterning technology. One exposure + two patterns can produce a double-precision chip, which can meet the requirements of advanced process logic chips, and has obvious power consumption advantages. DNP claims that energy consumption is only about 1/10 of the current mainstream process.
The company has been developing NIL technology for more than 20 years. The current technology can partially replace EUV lithography, providing chip manufacturers with another option for high-precision process production. It is now cooperating with hardware suppliers to initiate technology evaluation.
DNP Company expects to complete customer verification and establish mass production and supply systems.Mass production and shipment are expected to begin in 2027.
