Canon to join chip manufacturing sector with low-cost nanoprinters, competing ASML

(MENAFN) Japanese electronics company Canon is set to venture into the chip-making industry by planning to ship low-cost chip-making machines later this year, according to a company official cited by the Financial Times. Hiroaki Takeshi, the director of Canon's industrial division, expressed the company's intent to commence shipments either this year or the next, aiming to capitalize on a thriving market.

Canon's approach involves the use of lithographic nanoprinters, a technology that differs from the conventional method of engraving chip designs using light. Instead, these nanoprinters print chip designs directly onto silicon sheets. Hiroaki Takeshi highlighted the environmental advantages of this process, stating that it would utilize 90 percent less energy compared to the manufacturing process employed by ASML, the Dutch company currently dominating the market.

The move into the chip-making sector positions Canon as a competitor to ASML, particularly in the field of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machinery. ASML's machines are crucial for the production of advanced chips, including those utilized in popular devices such as iPhones. Canon's foray into "nanolithography" represents a strategic effort to challenge ASML's dominance and potentially disrupt the market with a more energy-efficient and cost-effective solution.

As the chip-making industry continues to experience high demand and technological advancements, Canon's entry introduces a new player into the competitive landscape, signaling potential shifts and innovations in the manufacturing processes of essential components for various electronic devices.

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