Rapidus Set to Receive Japan's First ASML EUV Lithography Machine in December

[Nomad76]

The EUV lithography machine from ASML ordered by Rapidus is expected to arrive in Japan in mid-December, according to information from Nikkei cited by TrendForce. This marks the first deployment of EUV technology in Japan, an important step for the country's semiconductor industry as it seeks to establish itself as a major player. Rapidus is currently building a factory in Chitose, Hokkaido, and plans to start mass production of 2 nm chips in 2027. The company also plans to purchase several EUV devices if the 2-nanometer chip production is successful, and intends to build a second production facility specifically for 1.4 nm chips. To support these operations, ASML will establish a service center in Chitose City.

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang hinted at the possibility of outsourcing AI chip production to Rapidus. As of October, construction progress on the Rapidus facility, which began in September 2023, is up to 63% and remains on track. In addition to Rapidus, Micron's Hiroshima plant is scheduled to install EUV equipment in 2025, allowing for mass production in 2026. JASM, a TSMC subsidiary in Japan, plans to integrate EUV lithography with a second wafer plant in 2027 that will have a 6 nm production line.



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[user556]

Presumably we're talking *High-NA* EUV? 2 nm is mighty small starting point for the Low-NA machines.

 

[Prima.Vera]

Rapidus is the Japanese government response to Samsung as a model of a private company supported by the Government. It is a consortium of the 8 biggest Japanese companies and they got a lot of billions (~65) in order to start competing with TMSC or Samsung.

$65 billion USD is quite a number, not sure why this isn't a thing on the media outlets:

https://www.reuters.com/world/japan/japan-propose-65-bln-plan-aid-domestic-chip-industry-draft-shows-2024-11-11/

 

[kondamin]

Rapidus is the Japanese government response to Samsung as a model of a private company supported by the Government. It is a consortium of the 8 biggest Japanese companies and they got a lot of billions (~65) in order to start competing with TMSC or Samsung.

$65 billion USD is quite a number, not sure why this isn't a thing on the media outlets:

https://www.reuters.com/world/japan/japan-propose-65-bln-plan-aid-domestic-chip-industry-draft-shows-2024-11-11/

because it’s a decade long plan for an industry people don’t understand.

and 60 billion isn’t what it used to be, it’s what nvidia loses in market cap if Jensen sneezes in front of reporters

 

[Prima.Vera]

65 billions is more that 100 other countries GDP, you are underestimating their value.

 

[Nhonho]

It is a consortium of the 8 biggest Japanese companies

What are the 8 companies?

EDIT:

"Denso, Kioxia, MUFG Bank, NEC, NTT, SoftBank, Sony, and Toyota."

Rapidus - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

65 billions is more that 100 other countries GDP, you are underestimating their value.

Just because "65 billions" means a lot in Liberia doesnt mean it will go anywhere near as far in Japan, or elsewhere in the West.

 

[Easo]

65 billions is more that 100 other countries GDP, you are underestimating their value.

Partially true - but you also have to cut off the service economy bubble to get the more realistic values. And in Japan 65 billion is not THAT much. Kickstart to the industry, yes, but nothing more and will need much more cash flowing in to actually get it up somewhere.