It’s no secret that some of our favorite camera manufacturers are moving away from mass-consumer products and focusing more on high-end, high-margin devices.
Any peek at CIPA numbers reveals just that. While you could chalk it up to the ubiquity and quality of smartphone cameras, there’s also something to be said for an increased need in the market for cutting-edge technology. And the fuel for that engine of progress happens to be semiconductors currently.
To help in the development of the next generation of semiconductor technology, Canon is launching a new tool called the FPA-1200NZ2C which is capable of producing semiconductors “equivalent to a 5 nanometer process, and go as small as 2nm,” CNBC reports.
Known as nanoimprint lithography, Canon’s latest machine is a direct challenge to Dutch giant ASML. As CNBC explains, the nanometer size refers to the features on the chip with a higher number denoting more possible features on a chip thus making it more powerful. This is apparently on par with ASML’s machines but with one key exception: Canon’s machine does not use ultraviolet light like ASML’s machine directly translating into a lower power consumption.
Referencing Canon’s history in the optical industry, the development of these types of machines is seen as a natural, if not smooth, transition for the company. While its machines are sophisticated, it has pursued this line since 2004 and faces entrenched competition. Yet demand for semiconductors is not showing any signs of slowing down and an expanding market of demand typically translates into a greater need for capital machines like the one Canon is offering.
Are you a Canon fan? What do you hope to see the company launch in the future, cameras or otherwise? Let us know in the comments.
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[CNBC]
