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ASML make fancy printers. TSMC and other ASML customers build the designs that let those fancy printers create transistors and then logic gates, as well as a b
by bri3d 2y ago
ASML make fancy printers.
TSMC and other ASML customers build the designs that let those fancy printers create transistors and then logic gates, as well as a basic library of arrangements for those logic gates (PDK). They also provide all of the raw materials and processes and physics that go into said printers.
Apple and other design customers then compile RTL using that PDK to produce a design that can be manufactured using the fab’s process steps.
The printers are A hard part but far from The hard part. If you have an ASML machine it is useless to you unless you have also figured out how to build a 3D transistor in layers. Good luck!
- tptacek 2y agoThis is a really sharp summary. I hope it's correct, because it was fun to read.
- initplus 2y agoIt does seem weird that there is this separation though. I would have assumed that there is a lot of overlap between machine design and operation.
- wtallis 2y agoI don't think there's much overlap between things like making a sufficiently-bright EUV light source and designing a transistor.