American semiconductor giant Intel is set to establish an advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment and material research and development (R&D) hub in Japan, in collaboration with the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), according to a report by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) on September 3. This ambitious project aims to bolster Japan’s semiconductor capabilities and is expected to be completed within 3 to 5 years.
The R&D hub will be a significant investment, with Intel and AIST planning to pour several hundred billion yen into the project. A key feature of the hub will be the introduction of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment, marking the first time a Japanese research institution will possess such advanced technology. EUV lithography, essential for the mass production of cutting-edge semiconductors, is exclusively produced by the Dutch company ASML.
While Rapidus, a major Japanese company, is set to introduce EUV lithography equipment in December this year, no Japanese research institution currently has access to this technology. AIST will take the lead in operating the R&D hub, with Intel providing crucial semiconductor manufacturing expertise using the EUV lithography equipment. Japanese companies will be able to use the equipment for semiconductor test production and other purposes, paying usage fees for access.
The new hub will also explore technological cooperation and talent exchange with American research institutions, further enhancing its capabilities. Despite lagging behind South Korea and Taiwan in semiconductor production, Japan has notable strengths in semiconductor equipment and materials. Companies like Lasertec hold a 100% market share in EUV-related inspection equipment, and JSR is a leader in the production of photoresists, a key semiconductor material.
Intel’s initiative aims to strengthen collaboration with these Japanese semiconductor material and equipment companies. The move comes amid U.S. regulations on the export of EUV equipment to China due to ongoing U.S.-China tensions. Nikkei noted, “With the U.S. regulating the export of EUV equipment to China due to U.S.-China tensions, and with equipment and materials related to EUV also subject to scrutiny, the process of bringing research results or data conducted overseas into Japan takes time. Having EUV equipment at Japanese research institutions lowers the barriers to utilizing research results.”
This development is part of a broader trend of international collaboration in the semiconductor industry. Taiwan’s TSMC established a next-generation semiconductor R&D hub in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, in 2022, and Samsung Electronics plans to set up a research hub in Yokohama within the 2024 fiscal year.
