Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the advancements and challenges in the semiconductor lithography industry, particularly focusing on EUV lithography and emerging technologies like Inversion Semiconductor's particle accelerator-based light source and Atum Works' 3D printing technology for chip manufacturing [1][2][14]. Group 1: EUV Lithography and Inversion Semiconductor - ASML's EUV lithography machines are essential for modern chip production, especially as processes advance to 3nm technology [1]. - The importance of EUV lithography is increasing, with ASML leading the transition to High NA EUV to meet stricter customer demands [1]. - Inversion Semiconductor aims to utilize a "desktop" particle accelerator to produce high-power light, significantly reducing the size of traditional accelerators from kilometers to about one meter [3][4]. - The company plans to achieve a light source output power of 10 kilowatts, which could generate billions in annual revenue for wafer fabs [2][6]. Group 2: Laser Wakefield Acceleration (LWFA) - Inversion Semiconductor's technology leverages Laser Wakefield Acceleration (LWFA) to accelerate electrons to high energies over short distances, enhancing the efficiency of light generation [3][4]. - The collaboration with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory aims to develop a high-power, tunable light source named STARLIGHT, targeting soft X-rays in the range of 20nm to 6nm [6][7]. - The anticipated improvements include doubling transistor density and tripling throughput compared to existing machines, potentially allowing a single light source to power multiple lithography machines [7][8]. Group 3: Alternative Lithography Technologies - Lace Lithography AS is exploring atom-based lithography, claiming it can achieve resolutions beyond the limits of current EUV technology, offering a cost-effective and energy-efficient alternative [8][9]. - The company is developing a prototype that utilizes metastable atoms and dispersion force-based masks to achieve 2nm feature sizes, currently in the concept validation stage [9][10]. - Atum Works is promoting its nano-scale 3D printing technology, which could reduce chip manufacturing costs by up to 90%, although it currently lags behind mainstream logic chip technology by about 20 years [14][15]. Group 4: Future Prospects and Industry Impact - The semiconductor industry is facing fundamental bottlenecks in 2D lithography, prompting a shift towards 3D integration to accommodate more transistors and bandwidth on chips [14][15]. - Atum Works' 3D printing technology aims to simplify the manufacturing process by enabling direct material deposition in three-dimensional space, potentially improving yield and efficiency [15][16]. - The advancements in lithography technologies, including both EUV and emerging alternatives, indicate a dynamic landscape in semiconductor manufacturing, with significant implications for future chip design and production [16].

参参考考链链接接 如果您希望可以时常见面，欢迎标星收藏哦~ 来源：内容来自 tomshardware ，谢谢。 初创公司 Atum Works 在 YCombinator 发布的启动文章中声称，其纳米级 3D 打印技术可以轻松 替代现有的芯片生产流程，并将芯片制造成本降低高达 90%。不过这项技术也有一个"前提"：其 在逻辑芯片方面的能力已经落后主流技术约 20 年，但在封装、光子学和传感器等领域仍可能表现 良好。 现代芯片就像高楼大厦：它们拥有多层结构、内部有不同类型的功能模块，还需要通信基础设施。 每一颗先进芯片的制造都要经历上千道工序、使用数百种专用设备，因此成本十分高昂。 Atum Works 称 ， 他 们 已 经 开 发 并 制 造 出 一 台 纳 米 级 3D 打 印 机 ， 能 够 以 100 纳 米 的 体 素 级 （voxel-level）精度，在晶圆级尺度上构建多材料的三维结构。与传统的平面光刻工艺不同（后 者通过光掩模曝光将电路图案刻蚀在硅片上），Atum Works 的系统可直接在三维空间中的精确位 置沉积材料，从而制造集成电路，并能将如互连等结构在一个连续统一的过程中完成，这种方式 ...