ZEISS SMT

High-NA EUV lithography has moved from semiconductor research into real chip manufacturing. Intel Foundry is using ASML’s 0.55 numerical-aperture technology on selected Intel 18A layers for Panther Lake processors, while imec is installing a second-generation system to develop future logic and memory processes. The attraction goes beyond smaller features: High-NA could collapse several masks and patterning steps into a single exposure on some critical layers, potentially reducing cycle time, defects and manufacturing complexity.