Japanese professor Tsumoru Shintake of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) has unveiled a revolutionary extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography technology that promises to significantly push down semiconductor manufacturing costs. The new technology tackles two previously insurmountable issues in EUV lithography. First, it introduces a streamlined optical projection system using only two mirrors, a dramatic simplification from the conventional six or more. Second, it employs a novel "dual line field" method to efficiently direct EUV light onto the photomask without obstructing the optical path. Prof. Shintake's design offers substantial advantages over current EUV lithography machines. It can operate with smaller EUV light sources, consuming less than one-tenth of the power required by conventional systems. This reduction in energy consumption also reduces operating expenses (OpEx), which are usually high in semiconductor manufacturing facilities.

The simplified two-mirror design also promises improved stability and maintainability. While traditional EUV systems often require over 1 megawatt of power, the OIST model can achieve comparable results with just 100 kilowatts. Despite its simplicity, the system maintains high contrast and reduces mask 3D effects, which is crucial for attaining nanometer-scale precision in semiconductor production. OIST has filed a patent application for this technology, with plans for practical implementation through demonstration experiments. The global EUV lithography market is projected to grow from $8.9 billion in 2024 to $17.4 billion by 2030, when most nodes are expected to use EUV scanners. In contrast, ASML's single EUV scanner can cost up to $380 million without OpEx, which is very high thanks to the power consumption of high-energy light UV light emitters. Regular EUV scanners also lose 40% of the UV light going to the next mirror, with only 1% of the starting light source reaching the silicon wafer. And that is while consuming over one megawatt of power. However, with the proposed low-cost EUV system, more than 10% of the energy makes it to the wafer, and the new system is expected to use less than 100 kilowatts of power while carrying a cost of less than 100 million, a third from ASML's flagship.

Cervoz brings its new storage solution to industrial applications with the launch of its new T425 Series M.2 NVMe SSDs-M.2 2230 (B+M) and M.2 2242 (B+M). Available in the compact 2230 and 2242 form factors, these PCIe Gen3x2 SSDs pack impressive performance into small footprints. Engineered for reliability and efficiency, the T425 Series provides industrial-grade solutions for embedded systems and space-constrained applications.

Space-Saving Form Factors for Seamless Integration
The tiny size of the T425 Series SSDs enables easy integration into small, fanless devices where internal space is limited. From in-vehicle systems and handheld scanners to medical equipment and industrial PCs, these SSDs allow seamless upgrades without compromising capacity or performance.

The Chinese semiconductor industry is advancing, and interestingly, it is growing rapidly under sanctions, even with the blacklisting of companies by the US government. China's semiconductor industry is mainly represented by companies like Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) and Huawei Technologies, who are leading the investment and progress in both chip manufacturing and chip design. According to the latest interview with Bloomberg, former TSMC Vice President Burn J. Lin said that the US government and its sanctions can not stop the advancement of Chinese semiconductor companies. Currently, Lin notes that SMIC and Huawei can use older machinery to produce more advanced chips.

Even so, SMIC could progress to 5 nm technology using existing equipment, particularly with scanners and other machinery from ASML. Development under sanctions would also force China to experiment with new materials and other chip packaging techniques that yield higher performance targets. SMIC has already developed a 7 nm semiconductor manufacturing node, which Huawei used for its latest Mate 60 Pro smartphone, based on Huawei's custom HiSilicon Kirin 9000S chip. Similarly, the transition is expected to happen to the 5 nm node as well, and it is only a matter of time before we see other nodes appear. "It is just not possible for the US to completely prevent China from improving its chip technology," noted Burn J. Lin.

During the European Technology Symposium 2023, TSMC presented additional details regarding the upcoming complementary FET (CFET) technology to power the next generation of silicon-based devices. With Nanosheet replacing FinFET, the CFET technology will do the same to the Gate All Around FET (GAAFET) Nanosheet nodes. As the company notes, CFET transistors are now in the TSMC labs and are being tested for performance, efficiency, and density. Compared to GAAFET, CFET will provide greater design in all of those areas, but it will require some additional manufacturing steps to get the chip working as intended. Integrating both p-type and n-type FETs into a single device, CFET will require the use of High NA EUV scanners with high precision and high power to manufacture it.

The use of CFET, as the roadmap shows, is one of the last steps in the world of silicon. It will require the integration of new materials into the manufacturing process, resulting in a greater investment into research and development that is in charge of node creation. Kevin Zhang, senior vice president at TSMC, responsible for technology roadmap and business development, notes: "Let me make a clarification on that roadmap, everything beyond the Nanosheet is something we will put on our [roadmap] to tell you there is still future out there. We will continue to work on different options. I also have the add on to the one-dimensional material-[based transistors] […], all of those are being researched on being investigated on the future potential candidates right now, we will not tell you exactly the transistor architecture will be beyond the Nanosheet."

Earlier on in April keen-eyed users of macOS uncovered the presence of a strange document hidden deep within Apple's operating system directories. It turns out that this Easter egg was a digital copy of the original Bitcoin whitepaper, it is speculated that Apple engineers have been running a long term prank by stashing the manifesto inside of every released version of macOS since 2018 - which indicates that Mojave was the starting point. According to yesterday's 9to5Mac-published article the cryptocurrency whitepaper (said to be authored by mysterious figure Satoshi Nakamoto) has been removed from the latest macOS Ventura build - 13.4 beta 3 (made available to developers).

The initial discovery of the manifesto received significant press coverage, and it seems that Apple has chosen to send in the cleanup crew at some point in the weeks since then. The file was sat alongside miscellaneous assets in a folder relating to an Image Capture application. The internal tool "VirtualScanner.app" has also been removed from the latest macOS beta build. The 9to5Mac piece posits that Apple's engineers never intended to include the prototype image and document scanner app in any finalized operating system releases - hence the burying of the program's assets deep inside system files.

The Netherlands-based ASML has reportedly launched a comprehensive investigation into the company's branch in China following reports that one of its former employees allegedly stole confidential information. According to Bloomberg, the employee in question was part of a product life cycle management (PLM) program for ASML's advanced lithography solutions. Specifically, the employee worked for the Teamcenter software division responsible for lithography tool management. This software was used to create digital twins of scanners and other tools and allowed information to be shared among the company's employees. In ASML's case, the software contained all the confidential information about the scanners and how they work, which makes it a target for IP theft. We do not know if this is a China-sponsored action to boost its domestic lithography tool development; however, ASML has issued a statement below.

ASMLWe have experienced unauthorized misappropriation of data relating to proprietary technology by a (now) former employee in China. We promptly initiated a comprehensive internal review. Based upon our initial findings we do not believe that the misappropriation is material to our business. However, as a result of the security incident, certain export control regulations may have been violated. ASML has therefore reported the incident to relevant authorities. We are implementing additional remedial measures in light of this incident.

Dedicated to deliver value and convenience for the ideal printing experience, Epson America, Inc., the global leader in refillable Supertank technology, announced today that it will be expanding its EcoTank line of cartridge-free printing solutions to include Epson's most affordable EcoTank model. The EcoTank ET-2400 All-in-One Supertank printer, exclusively sold through Target and Walmart this holiday season, is designed for easy, everyday home printing at a lower price point so families can worry less about running out of ink.

"As the holiday season falls upon us, it is a joyous time filled with beautiful memories to capture and hold for a lifetime," said Kao Mei, product manager, Consumer Inkjet, Epson America, Inc. "By providing families with an EcoTank solution that delivers hassle-free printing at a lower, more affordable price point, we're opening up new opportunities for families to discover a new type of printing experience - all from the comfort of the home."

peel 3d, the developers of best-in-class professional-grade 3D scanners that offer superior value at unmatched price points, today announced the launch of peel 3 and peel 3.CAD—two new scanners that will elevate the 3D scanning experience for professional users across many different sectors without compromising affordability.

peel 3 and peel 3.CAD handle like a charm as they feature a revamped ergonomic design unlike any other on the market and an intuitive multi-function touchscreen interface. Industry-first haptic user communication through vibration simplifies generating high-quality 3D scans regardless of users' skill levels. Improved resolution and performance for more complex geometries, surfaces and colours provide additional versatility to 3D scan any type of object.