世界上的筹码短；the semiconductor industry is up for the challenge

微芯片。在几乎每天的每一刻，您都会利用包含这些小而强大的设备之一的技术。万博manbetx官网登录无论您是与朋友聊天，还是当医疗保健工作者等待从冰箱中检索您的Covid-19疫苗，您周围的工作中都有芯片。更不用说云，数据处理中心，互联网 - 由于半导体的原因。但是，除非您从事技术工作，否则您不太可能花很多时间思考芯片对日常生活的重要性。也就是说，直到他们开始跑步短。

The global pandemic, digital transformation and the increasing demand for new technology has drawn all eyes to the semiconductor industry and the technology companies that make the digital world go round.

为什么存在全球芯片短缺？

筹码短缺并不是什么出了问题，而是正确的。自引入智能手机以来，全球几乎每个人都可以访问互联网。移动我们在网上所做的大量工作导致对快速，稳定的互联网需求的爆炸式增长，而技术发展，例如5G，高性能计算，人工智能（AI）和事物互联网已经加速了数字化和需求。筹码。

Then, in late 2019 came COVID-19. In early March 2020, many industries prepared to pull back in response to what was expected to be a significant blow to global and national economies. Many automotive and electronics companies decided to pause orders, including of semiconductors.

半导体有什么特别之处？

Microchips are a unique product. Where nuts and bolts can be produced relatively simply, fabricating the layers on even the simplest microchip需要一个精心的过程世界上很少有公司已经掌握了。

在此过程中，从头开始到成品可能需要数月的时间，硅晶片将在芯片制造商（半导体制造厂）中的数十个不同机器（例如化学加工设备，检查工具和光刻系统）中传播。乘以数十个层组成芯片的层 - 这种晶圆已经经过了3,000多个步骤，然后才离开半导体晶圆厂（本身是一个比外部空气更清洁的紧密控制环境）并找到了自己的道路。进入电子产品。

大流行以数字化的加速速度击中了气踏板。

So where does ASML fit in the semiconductor shortage?

ASML的光刻系统使用light to fabricate the circuitry patterns on silicon wafers，，，，a critical step in the chip manufacturing process. The patterns link together as a single integrated circuit that can offer computing or memory function.光刻系统can be found in the factories of every major chipmaking company in the world.

数十年来，各个技术领域和国家的公司一直是全球半导体生态系统的一部分。

But our systems are just one piece of a process involving numerous suppliers and chip equipment. Every step and every machine in the process is important. For example, layers that have been printed on a wafer by means of lithography must also be etched, where excess material is removed through a chemical process to reveal the patterns that create the 3D circuit. Then a new layer is added and the process starts all over again. That is why all production stages and various tools must be aligned perfectly to ensure the highest possible manufacturing yield.

这种相互依存是半导体行业独特的另一个原因。数十年来，各个技术领域和国家的公司一直是全球半导体生态系统的一部分。从帮助我们理解和弯曲物理定律的学者到确定将我们的想法转化为产品和技术的新可能性和供应商的客户 - 我们合作取得成功。万博manbetx官网登录现在，我们一起准备满足芯片需求。

What is ASML doing about the chip shortage?

解决大流行中的全球筹码短缺并不是一件容易的事，但是那些在ASML工作的人热爱挑战。运输新系统，支持快速安装并提高安装系统的可用性和效率，包括通过升级，是我们帮助客户延长此短缺的关键方法。

Ramping up productivity

芯片制造商希望增加其晶圆产量，并提高光刻，因为关键的制造步骤显然是一种方法。为了帮助提高生产率，我们首先研究了安装基础中的生产力升级。可以快速安装这些升级，我们称为“生产力增强软件包”，是提高生产率的最有效方法，以便系统每小时产生更多的晶片。通常，生产力升级包括软件升级和硬件创新。

Hardware, such as an upgraded vessel for thelight source和different illumination settings to increase wafer yield, can also increase productivity. However, this requires system downtime. And in a time where you can’t make enough wafers, this is not ideal. To manage this, we’re working with our customers to optimize the timing of their upgrades and future-proof their production lines.

虽然您可能会认为，仅购买更多芯片设备可能会解决芯片短缺，但购买ASML系统与在线购物并在第二天获得电器没有什么不同。构建光刻系统只需一段时间即可。例如，成千上万的组件包括 -an EUV systemare made up of more than 100,000 individual parts, which must be manufactured with great care and delivered from around the world: mirrors with layers polished to an atom’s thickness that take months to make are manufactured in Germany and the vessel for lasers that generate light by blasting tin droplets are developed in San Diego, for example. Once these many parts have been assembled and the system has been tested and approved, it is taken apart again in big chunks, and three airplane carriers transport the machine to the customer’s factory. You’ll also need a cleanroom roughly the size of a swimming pool just to house this machine.

除了提高生产率的运输系统外，我们还定期与客户保持一致，以满足他们的技术需求并达到所需的晶圆能力。万博manbetx官网登录

In order to support the strong demand in DUV lithography, the workhorse of the industry, we are also piloting a program to shorten the production cycle time for our DUVTwinscan NXT：1980DI和NXT：2000i产品。Through this program, we’re aiming to free up a cleanroom cabin earlier so the assembly of a new system can start by allowing for some assembly, qualification and calibration to occur on the customer site, while balancing risks to ensure that we are delivering high quality. In early 2021, the first system through this program was successfully installed at a customer fab.

微芯片短缺何时结束？

解决我们今天看到的芯片短缺并不容易。我们的首席执行官Peter Wenninkrecently explained his outlook：“ 2020年 - 共同的一年 - 实际上是顾客谨慎的一年。回顾过去，太谨慎了。因此，您可以打电话的底漆现在转化为2021年的需求。当然，这需要一些时间才能使我们的产出加剧。”他认为，赶上对产出的需求可能需要到2022年。

英特尔首席执行官Pat Gelsinger说在COVID-19大流行期间在线移动导致了“半导体爆炸性增长的循环”。他补充说：“尽管该行业已经采取了措施来解决近期限制，但生态系统仍可能需要几年的时间来解决铸造能力，基板和组件的短缺。”