(Substrate U.S., San Francisco, California) A startup founded in 2022 by brothers James and Oliver Proud that plans to build an AI chip foundry with the most advanced technology by 2028. While the ASML machines used by TSMC, Samsung and Intel are state-of-the-art, Substrate is planning on upending the chip industry with its design, which uses X-rays instead of EUV light.
The Substrate foundry will use a miniaturized version of the giant particle accelerators built around the world. An internal accelerator generates the required X-ray frequencies that have a smaller wavelength than EUV light. The company claims accuracy of 0.25 nm; which is 2.5 angstroms.
In addition, instead of costing $400+ million, a Substrate lithography machine is expected to cost around $50 million. However, x-rays are much more difficult to control than EUV light, and if Substrate is successful, it will be a turning point. See
ASML and
EUV machine.