Rapidus Corporation today announced that its plans and budget for fiscal year 2025 have been approved by Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). The approval covers two commissioned projects under NEDO's "Post-5G Information and Communication Systems Infrastructure Enhancement R&D Project / Development of Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology (Commissioned)." These projects are the "Research and Development of 2 nm-Generation Semiconductor Integration Technology and short TAT (turnaround time) Manufacturing Technology Based on Japan-U.S. Collaboration" and "Development of Chiplet, Package Design and Manufacturing Technology for 2 nm-Generation Semiconductors."

The first of these projects, focused on front-end processes, was launched in November 2022 as part of Japan's next-generation semiconductor R&D effort. Under this program, Rapidus has continued construction of the Innovative Integration for Manufacturing (IIM) facility in Chitose, Hokkaido, which will serve as its production base. It also sent engineers to IBM in the U.S. to jointly develop 2 nm logic semiconductor mass production technologies and continued to achieve target performance as planned. Furthermore, Rapidus has installed EUV lithography and other production equipment at the IIM facility, and started cleanroom operation. As a result of these efforts, the company achieved its performance targets for FY2024.

Rapidus Corporation, a manufacturer of advanced logic semiconductors, today announced that it signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Quest Global Services PTE. Ltd. As part of the agreement, Rapidus will become Quest Global's new semiconductor foundry partner, enabling it to provide a wide range of solutions to its customers. Quest Global customers will be able to leverage Rapidus' 2 nm gate-all-around (GAA) manufacturing process to develop engineering design and manufacturing solutions that will support growing industry demand for low-power artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors. Together, the two companies will deliver transformational silicon solutions as a virtual integrated device manufacturer (IDM) model for fabless companies.

The AI semiconductor industry is in its early stages, with applications just beginning to emerge and new entrants quickly coming to market. Customers will shift from general-purpose AI semiconductors to dedicated designs that reduce power consumption and maximize performance. To support these industry requirements, customers will engage design firms focused on providing custom solutions, such as Quest Global, while also collaborating with semiconductor foundries, like Rapidus, that can manufacture dedicated semiconductors with a short turnaround time.

Japan's Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun newspaper believes that Rapidus will be installing a grand total of ten "extreme ultraviolet (EUV) exposure tools" at two cutting-edge semiconductor production sites. Government subsidies have assisted in boosting Japan's semiconductor industry to new highs—Rapidus is reportedly catching up with the likes of TSMC. Its 2 nm-class process node could be up and running by 2027, at the currently under-construction Innovative Integration for Manufacturing One (IIM-1) facility. This location welcomed its first ASML NXE:3800E EUV lithography machine last December—this occasion marked the debut deployment of said technology in Japan.

The Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun report cites statements made by Rapidus CEO, Atsuyoshi Koike—according to the boss, ten new machines will be distributed across two fabrication facilities: at the aforementioned IIM-1, as well as IIM-2. The second location is expected to come online not long after the completion of IIM-1. It is not clear whether the foundries will be installing more examples of ASML's NXE:3800E model, and an exact timeframe was not disclosed. An older Nikkei article suggests that a trial run—utilizing 2 nm generation gate-all-around (GAA) technology—will begin around April (2025) at the primary Rapidus fab. A theorized schedule proposes that initial samples are due for shipment to Broadcom (in the USA) by mid-year.

Rapidus Corporation, a manufacturer of advanced logic semiconductors, today announced the delivery and installation of ASML's EUV lithography equipment at its Innovative Integration for Manufacturing (IIM-1) foundry, an advanced semiconductor development and manufacturing fab currently under construction in Chitose, Hokkaido. To commemorate the installation, a ceremony was held at Portom Hall in the New Chitose Airport.

This is a significant milestone for Japan's semiconductor industry, marking the first time that an EUV lithography tool will be used for mass production in the country. In addition to the EUV lithography machinery, Rapidus will install additional complementary advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment, as well as full automated material handling systems in its IIM-1 foundry to optimize 2 nm generation gate-all-around (GAA) semiconductor manufacturing.

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.

Japan has proposed a $65 billion (or more) plan to strengthen the semiconductor and AI industries in the country through grants and financial support by fiscal year 2030. The government plans to present this proposal at the next parliamentary session. The draft includes support for mass production of next-generation chips, focusing on AI chipmakers such as Rapidus, the government estimates an economic impact of about 160 trillion yen from this investment. Rapidus plans to start mass production of advanced chips in Hokkaido from 2027 and will work with IBM and Belgian research organization Imec.

According to the report from Reuters, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said the government would not issue deficit-financing bonds to fund the support plan, although specific financial details are not yet known. The new initiative builds on last year's 2 trillion yen investment in the chip industry, and it is part of a broader economic package. Expected to be approved by the Cabinet on November 22, the plan calls for combined public and private investment in the semiconductor industry of more than 50 trillion yen over the next decade.