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Taiwan orders Multibeam’s photomask-free chip lithography platform
Taiwan’s NTHU will install Multibeam’s MBX electron-beam lithography platform in 2027, enabling photomask-free chip prototyping.
Image: iXBT
Multibeam has received its first order in Taiwan: National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) will install the company’s MBX multi-beam electron-beam lithography platform for research and development of next-generation microelectronics technologies. Delivery is scheduled for 2027.
The system will be deployed at NTHU’s College of Semiconductor Research. The university plans to use it for academic projects as well as joint development work with Taiwan’s largest chip manufacturers.
How MBX draws chip designs without photomasks
MBX’s main advantage is that it eliminates traditional photomasks. Instead, several electron beams write the chip pattern directly onto a silicon wafer. That approach can speed up the production of new prototypes after the design is complete, shortening development cycles and reducing costs.
According to Multibeam’s developers, the platform combines high precision with high throughput. Potential applications include:
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- Advanced semiconductor packages
- Photonic components
- Quantum devices
- Specialized artificial-intelligence accelerators
The contract is strategically significant for Multibeam. Taiwan is a global center for advanced semiconductor manufacturing, making NTHU’s installation the company’s first in the region and potentially opening access to leading chipmakers and one of the industry’s most promising markets.
Computing Editor
Tomas lives in the terminal. He covers chips, laptops, and operating systems with a focus on performance and efficiency. He reads kernel changelogs the way other people read fiction, and he's always on the hunt for the perfect mechanical keyboard switch. If it processes data, Tomas has an opinion on it.
via iXBT
