Part 4/9:
EUV lithography utilizes extreme ultraviolet light at a wavelength so short that it requires the entire process to occur in a vacuum, a significant leap in technology. This method allows for the production of chips with trillions of transistors, enabling devices to become faster and more energy-efficient. Each EUV machine is a marvel of engineering, incorporating complex components and requiring an extremely clean manufacturing environment.
To maintain such high precision, ASML relies on advanced systems to produce EUV light, primarily through a process that vaporizes molten tin. This results in photonic emissions that etch intricate designs onto silicon wafers, which themselves can have numerous layer configurations.