Intel brings the first machines to its Fab 34 in Ireland

This week, Intel began installing the first equipment at Fab 34, its refurbished manufacturing facility in Leixlip, Ireland. As expected, the new factory will be operational from 2023 and, in addition to the company's Intel 5 technology (formerly known as 7nm), it will also be able to produce chips possibly using the Intel 4 node. The first instrument to be installed at the Fab 34 was the "lithography resist track", developed and manufactured in an Intel plant in Oregon. The latter covers the wafers with a thin layer before they are aligned and placed in an "extreme ultraviolet" (EUV) scanner for exposure. Later, the wafers return to the lithography resist track for photo development and rinsing.

Photo Credit: Intel Intel began upgrading its fab near Leixlip, Ireland in 2019. To install the massifs ASML's EUV scanner, Intel basically had to build the plant from scratch, which is why it will take around four years to equip its Fab 34. The new plant will allow the company to build its advanced products using the Intel 5 node in Ireland at starting next year and then adopting Intel 4 manufacturing technology in 2024 to make even more sophisticated chips. Intel said the new fab will double the company's manufacturing capacity in the area and that it will be useful for the IDM 2.0 strategy involving contract chip manufacturing.

Photo Credit: Intel if (jQuery ("# ​​crm_srl-th_hardware_d_mh2_1"). is (": visible")) {console.log ("Edinet ADV adding zone: tag crm_srl-th_hardware_d_mh2_1 slot id: th_hardware_d_mh2" ); } In addition to Ireland, Intel plans to build another manufacturing site in Europe to produce more of its own products and chips for third parties. The company was supposed to announce the location of the new site in 2021, but has postponed the decision as construction of new semiconductor manufacturing plants costs tens of billions and it is necessary to plan the operation with various states.