Much has been said about the war of chips, semiconductors, crises and solutions. A bet from Intel in particular for all that has been said is MDI 2.0also something that we mention quite often and which now also teaches some secrets: preventive war and the arrival of plan B. No less than 1,900 million dollars to impose a technological rhythm that no one can resist based on the new ASML’s High-NA EUV scanners.
One of the most important parts of tackling a problem and solving it is to develop a strategy for the future so that it doesn’t happen again. This concept seems very clear to Intel since it will launch what is commonly called preventive war, a kind of plan B that can determine the course of semiconductor dominance.
Intel wants to take back the monopoly of High-NA EUV
Intel’s strategy is typical of science fiction, since the timing and coordination they will have is worthy of a Hollywood script. And it is that, as we have seen in the updated Intel roadmap, what will arrive this year is precisely the Intel 4 (old 7 nm) lithographic process, where there is a very important change: there will be manufactured with a series of layers under EUV.
This fact is representative if we take into account the fact that Intel plunged into the DUV (badum tsss) with the 10nm and left aside this new technology that TSMC saw with a good eye. So although Intel 7 has taken a step forward, they are behind their competitor and the mastery of the technique.
But that was about to become chip story when over a year ago ASML completed the design of its new high-wavelength scanner, where the current 0.33 NA EUVs are part of the common. Because of this, Intel has pulled out the wallet and is going all out.
Plan B on fleas is part of preventive war
The problem with any new cutting-edge technology, and especially when you don’t have competition, is that the price goes up, and a lot. We had already given figures at the time, but the price of the new TWINSCAN EXE:5200 could have climbed to more than 350 million dollars at that time, when it is rumored that in December Intel closed the purchase for 300 million/unit in a long-term agreement starting in 2025.
We must not forget that we start from the TWINSCAN EXE:5000 already purchased previously, that is, it is a new purchase of the latest from ASML so as not to leave any loopholes or Samsung nor to TSMC. This is a pre-emptive war based on leaving your rivals without supplies as Intel is believed to have purchased all 6 TWINSCAN EXE:5200 that the company located in the Netherlands will be able to manufacture, where each scanner can produce on average 200 pads per hour.
But what if the ASML delivery fails in time? Would this affect Preventive Warfare and Intel’s lithographic processes? Well, according to Ann Kelleher, Intel’s head of lithography processes, the company says it’s calm there’s a plan B, but it hasn’t explained how it could defend itself in this case. What is certain is that the problems and delays with 10nm have served Intel to come back strong and given what has been seen, it does not intend to release a puppet with a head.
