ASML has opened its Global EUV (extreme ultraviolet) Training Center in Tainan, Taiwan. This new training centre features live EUV machine modules and comprehensive training courses to train EUV engineers for its EUV customers in Asia. The center will train the next generation of lithography engineers for chipmakers in Asia
Located in the Tainan Science Park, this 1,625 sqm new EUV training centre will offer comprehensive training, including EUV machine operating practice in the cleanroom. Currently, there are 14 trainers to provide thousands of hours of training courses per year. ASML expects to develop 360 EUV engineers for both internal and customer purposes every year.
"We thank the Tainan Science Park Administration, the government and our customers for their support in helping us to establish this new EUV training centre to serve the semiconductor industry," said Mark Ting, Manager of ASML Taiwan.
"ASML is growing with the semiconductor industry and our customers," Ting continued. "In 2010, we shipped the first prototype EUV lithography system to TSMC for R&D purposes, marking the beginning of a new era in lithography. In 2017, we shipped the first production-ready system, the TWINSCAN NXE:3400, to TSMC, and three years later, Taiwan has become home to the world's largest EUV installed base."
"Our investment in this Global EUV Technology Training Center represents ASML's commitment to supporting our customers in advanced node manufacturing while expanding our diversified operations in Taiwan," Ting concluded.
Safe and cost-effective
It takes 18 months to develop an EUV engineer from a novice to a mature engineer who can work independently. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the uncertainties related to travelling. The EUV training centre enables both ASML and our customers to train EUV engineers locally in a safe and cost-effective way.
"By placing our Global EUV Technology Training Center in Asia where EUV systems will continue to be installed, we expect to achieve significant savings in both time and money to bring EUV knowledge to those who need it," says Wayne Allan, Executive VP of ASML Global Customer Support.
ASML also has an EUV training centre in South Korea, where we provide training courses to meet the growing customer demand for new EUV engineers.