"Currently Dispatching 100 Personnel, Expanding to 200 in the Future"
Learning EUV Usage and Identifying Issues in Mass Production
About 100 employees of Rapidus, a foundry (semiconductor contract manufacturing) company established by the Japanese government to restore semiconductor competitiveness, have started developing advanced semiconductor technology at the IBM Research Lab in the United States. They are actively utilizing American technology with the goal of producing 2-nanometer (nm; 1 nanometer is one billionth of a meter) semiconductors independently in Japan by 2027.
On the 28th, Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported that about 100 Rapidus employees are focusing on developing 2-nanometer semiconductor technology at the IBM Research Lab located in Albany, New York.
The Albany IBM Research Lab is located about a three-hour drive from New York City, with a site area three times the size of the Tokyo Dome. It is the largest 12-inch (300 mm) wafer fab (factory) in the United States. Nihon Keizai explained that the IBM Research Lab was the first in the world to succeed in designing and developing 2-nanometer semiconductors, and although the lab is a research and development base, its interior is constructed in the form of a semiconductor factory.
The core task of Rapidus engineers at the IBM Research Lab is to develop mass production technology for 2-nanometer semiconductors. Rapidus has set a goal to acquire the capability to mass-produce 2-nanometer semiconductors at a factory under construction in Hokkaido, Japan, by 2027.
To this end, Rapidus engineers are learning how to use extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment, which is essential for advanced semiconductor production, from IBM engineers. Since EUV equipment is more difficult to handle than conventional lithography equipment, Rapidus engineers judged that mastering its operation was a priority.
As Japan aims not only to develop advanced semiconductor production technology but also to achieve mass production, the IBM Research Lab is also focusing on identifying potential issues that may arise during the mass production process. Since various causes can reduce production yield?from contamination during semiconductor manufacturing to problems in production processes or design?an experimental production line has been established within the Albany lab to find solutions whenever problems occur.
To learn IBM’s technological capabilities, seven Rapidus engineers were first dispatched in April last year. Rapidus plans to expand the number of dispatched personnel to 200. Nihon Keizai reported that half of the engineers are responsible for production processes, while the rest are device engineers who measure and analyze performance and design engineers who work on circuit design. It is known that they are currently researching over 300 topics.
Samsung Electronics and TSMC aim to mass-produce 2-nanometer semiconductors by next year. Mukesh Khare, head of semiconductors at IBM Research, said, "Since competition is fierce, product development with an eye on the period after 2027, when Rapidus starts mass production, is important."
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