Still a lot of work needed to enable EUV for 5nm node

While the first adoption of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography for the 10nm and 7nm process nodes is expected later this year or in 2019, there is still a lot of work to be done on the 5nm node. EE Times reports that at present, the photoresist defects are still an order of magnitude too high for 5nm production.

Processors and other logic chips will be the first products to make the switch to EUV, with DRAM to follow later. Not much need is seen for today's 3D NAND flash chips. With current technology from Dutch semiconductor equipment leader ASML, the industry can expect to produce about 125 wafers per hour with a 250W light source. ASML aims to increase this to 155 in 2020, and even higher in the future as the company already has a 375W light source working in lab conditions.

Both TSMC and Globalfoundries aim to ramp a second-gen 7nm process that uses EUV in early 2019. Intel is expected to adopt EUV for a 10nm+ node in 2019. Semiconductor analysts believe that Intel's upcoming (and long-delayed) 10nm process, which uses traditional immersion lithography, will offer similar density to what the chip giant's rivals plan with their best 7nm nodes.