Japanese companies develop technology to produce 1.4-nanometer semiconductors with one-tenth of the power consumption

2026-04-05 11:25:48

Dai Nippon Printing (DNP) has developed technology that can produce advanced semiconductors using one-tenth the electricity consumption. With a new manufacturing method for producing equipment for Canon, mass production is scheduled to start in 2027, and the key components will support the core parts of the next generation 1.4-nanometer (1 nanometer is one billionth of a meter) products. There is a strong possibility that the manufacturing costs for artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors could be significantly reduced.

At present, to mass-produce the most advanced semiconductors, it is necessary to use extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines that are produced worldwide only by ASML Holdings of the Netherlands. The “lithography process” for drawing circuits on a wafer (substrate) accounts for 30% to 50% of total semiconductor manufacturing costs. The finer the circuit, the more lithography steps are required, and electricity consumption increases accordingly. An EUV lithography machine costs about 30 billion yen, placing a heavy investment burden on semiconductor manufacturers.

Canon’s “nanoimprint (Nanoimprint )” manufacturing equipment creates circuits on a wafer using a method similar to stamping a seal. DNP has developed a circuit master “template (template),” equivalent to a finely engraved seal, which can be used for up to a 1.4-nanometer process. Previously, this technology was unable to support the production of advanced semiconductors such as 2 nanometers.

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