TrendForce News operates independently from our research team, curating key semiconductor and tech updates to support timely, informed decisions.
According to Chinese media outlet ICsmart, Chinese company Prinano announced that its first self-developed PL-SR series inkjet step-and-repeat nanoimprint lithography system has successfully passed inspection and been delivered to a Chinese specialty process client.
The report states that the system can accommodate nanoimprint lithography processes with line widths below 10 nm. As the report points out, Canon’s FPA-1200NZ2C nanoimprint lithography machine can achieve a 14 nm line width and is claimed to produce 5 nm process chips. Prinano’s PL-SR series inkjet step-and-repeat nanoimprint system has already exceeded Canon in this metric. However, this does not mean the PL-SR can be used to manufacture advanced logic chips at the 5 nm node, the report notes.
As the report indicates, nanoimprint technology for chip manufacturing avoids the complex EUV light sources used in commercial EUV lithography, reducing energy use and equipment costs. However, it is slower than traditional lithography and unsuitable for producing chips with complex logic processes.
By contrast, the report highlights that Prinano’s nanoimprint system is well suited for NAND Flash and similar memory chips with relatively simple patterns. It adds that Chinese memory chipmakers could use domestic nanoimprint equipment to reduce reliance on foreign high-end manufacturing tools and enhance competitiveness in the global memory market alongside major players such as SK hynix and Samsung.
As the report points out, although Canon’s FPA-1200NZ2C nanoimprint lithography machine is not a traditional optical lithography system, it remains subject to export restrictions to China, something Canon’s CEO has confirmed in an interview. The report notes that the successful delivery of Prinano’s PL-SR series inkjet step-and-repeat nanoimprint system marks, to some extent, a breakthrough of Canon’s monopoly and Western export controls.
The PL-SR is a lithography system with high-accuracy inkjet coating and alignment, enabling processes that require precise stitching. According to Prinano’s website, it supports uniform template joins from 20 mm × 20 mm up to full 300 mm (12-inch) wafer-scale areas.
Read more
(Photo credit: Prinano)
