[sylware]

Idem, if I understand correctly, to go below the light pitch with DUV litographers, multi-patterning had to be used: a huge burden at chip design time and "pressure" on nm-grade alignment equipment (heard about coupled piezo electric motors with xray interferometers?), which is supposed to be from Taiwan.

In other words: photomask madness.

Photomask manufacturing is another critical part of silicium chip manufacturing. It seems EUV photomask are special (no more transparent crystals, but instead reflective "patterned" surfaces?), wonder if they are still using electron/ion beams to engrave patterns.

Wonder where are manufactured EUV photomasks, heard about Japan a lot.

Oh, and I realised that I am really curious on how they keep the EUV mirrors clean from the tin droplets :) Wild guess: EUV mirrors far away, H2 gas reaction, etc?).