Johnny Fan, Vice President Fan Yaliang, the top person in charge of Zeiss Semiconductor Taiwan. Zeiss Semiconductor
Exclusive interview with the head and vice president of Zeiss Semiconductor Taiwan
Johnny Fan holds an MBA degree from Lancaster University in the UK. Before joining Zeiss Semiconductor in June 2023, he worked at ASML for 17 years, working at the headquarters in Taiwan, China and the Netherlands. Services, has extensive experience in business, marketing, product, strategy, cross-border management, and organizational planning and growth, and has worked overseas for more than 8 years.
Why choose to join ZEISS Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology?
In addition to family considerations, Johnny shared that there are three reasons that drive him. The first is that when I was working at ASML, I accompanied client executives to visit Zeiss Semiconductor’s headquarters in Oberkochen, Germany, many times. I was impressed by Zeiss Semiconductor’s excellent optical lens design and production capabilities. The second point is a deep understanding of the importance of advanced lithography process equipment to Taiwan. The third reason is my love for the country Germany. "During nearly four years of living in Europe, the country I visited most frequently was Germany. Germany is rich in customs and culture, from Riesling, the grape wine produced on the beautiful Rhine River, to Rothenburg, which is full of medieval style on the Romantic Avenue. Neuschwanstein Castle and Königssee at the junction of Germany and Austria make people want to visit again and again, so joining Zeiss Semiconductor allows me to take time to visit these beautiful attractions while traveling, which is a big plus." Johnny Laughing.
What exactly does Zeiss Semiconductor do?
Johnny also mentioned: "When many people around me learned that I left ASML to join Zeiss, they realized that Zeiss is not only a leader in the eyewear industry, but also a leader in semiconductor equipment!" In fact, the Zeiss Group is a company that exceeds The 176-year-old German company has four major business divisions, including optical consumer products, medical technology, microscopes and industrial measurement quality, and the semiconductor manufacturing technology division with the highest revenue share. Johnny further mentioned that the Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology Division has more than 7,500 employees, of which more than 2,500 employees are dedicated to the development of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and high numerical aperture (High-NA) EUV technologies.
As of September 30, 2023, the annual revenue of this business unit has reached 3.555 billion euros. So what are the business scopes of this division? Johnny said that it is mainly composed of three major strategic business units, including SMO (Semiconductor Manufacturing Optics), which provides optical components in ASML lithography equipment, semiconductor process control solutions (Process Control), and semiconductor mask repair equipment solutions. Semiconductor Mask Solutions.
About the partnership between Zeiss Semiconductors and ASML?
Initially, Zeiss Semiconductor started as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), and its main customers were global semiconductor equipment manufacturers. In 1983, Zeiss Semiconductor first shipped its optical systems to today's ASML. Since then, the two companies decided to join hands as strategic partners in 1997 and work towards the common goal of becoming a technology pioneer in semiconductor manufacturing and ensuring that they maintain their leading position in the market. Zeiss is poised to become a major player in the semiconductor industry. After all, more than 80% of the world's chips must be manufactured through the lithography system of this Dutch partner, Asmore. The most critical component in the lithography system is the optical system of Zeiss Semiconductor Manufacturing Division (SMT). Zeiss plays a vital role in accelerating global digitization, enabling global chip manufacturers to evolve and continue to produce more precise and tiny chips.
Technologies that continue Moore’s Law EUV / High-NA EUV
As the interview came to this most popular and highly concerned topic in semiconductors, Johnny couldn't help but share with us excitedly: "We know that through the precise projection of EUV lithography, humans can already create a chip on a chip the size of a fingernail. , to create hundreds of millions of transistors; just imagine, using the next generation of high numerical aperture high-NA EUV, the number of transistors that can be created will be even more amazing! In terms of EUV extreme ultraviolet lithography technology, Zeiss has more than 25 years of research and development history; it even has more than 2,000 EUV patents, which of course includes high-numerical aperture (High-NA) EUV. It can be said that our optical EUV system not only redefines precision. It even has the most perfect and accurate EUV mirror in the world.”
In addition, Johnny said: "We can confirm this through ASMOOR High-NA EUV lithography equipment. Its latest High-NA EUV is the most modern, complex, and accurate in the world today. Machines allow humans to produce more advanced tiny wafers, and recently ASMOOR has shipped its latest high numerical aperture extreme ultraviolet lithography system to its first customer, Zeiss’ High-NA EUV professional. Technology has also become the focus again, and we are almost certain that Moore’s Law will continue to advance beyond 2030.”
How to make the mask perfect? - Semiconductor Mask Solutions
After talking about EUV, the secret weapon, Johnny went on to share another important role in the photolithography process - the photomask. In the process of manufacturing advanced chips, photomasks have always been an indispensable element. Try to imagine the lithography equipment as a slide. The light will pass through the mask engraved with the design and be projected onto the wafer for wafer production. But unlike slides, these projected design drawings will not maintain their original size. Instead, they need to be reduced to a small enough size through optical elements, and this projection process may need to be repeated for more than 10 seconds. It takes a hundred times to get the tiny chip we want. What SMS is doing is to measure, repair, verify and improve photomasks through core knowledge of optics and professional electronic optics, coupled with high-tech laser technology. Our ultimate goal is to help customers make their photomasks perfect, thus improving production yields. Precisely because of seeing such market demand, SMT established this important emerging strategic business unit a few years ago to further improve Zeiss Semiconductor's product line.
In view of the continuous growth of the global semiconductor market, the technology of the photomask industry is also constantly updated and developed, which brings considerable room for growth to the photomask solution department that needs to directly face customers for sales and after-sales service. Johnny emphasized that it is precisely because of this growth space and the transformation period that the department is going through that it provides an excellent stage for colleagues with rich industry experience to fully perform. He is also extremely grateful to Taiwanese customers for their encouragement and encouragement, allowing the mask solutions department to Continue on the road of improvement and grow step by step.
Zeiss Semiconductor’s next layout in Taiwan?
In recent years, semiconductor market demand has continued to rise. According to analysts, the market size of chips will double by the end of this decade, and the market size is expected to grow to about US$1 trillion by 2030. Europe has the advantage of producing cutting-edge wafer manufacturing equipment, while Taiwan is a cutting-edge wafer manufacturing center. Taiwan accounts for more than 90% of the global market for semiconductors below 10 nanometers. Johnny mentioned that "Zeiss Semiconductor's determination to deeply explore Taiwan remains unchanged. In addition to the Zeiss Semiconductor Asia Logistics Center established in Yangmei, Taoyuan in September 2023, and the Zeiss Semiconductor Mask Repair Equipment Training Center established at the National Cheng Kung University campus in Tainan Science Park in December , as the partnership with customers deepens in the future, we will continue to introduce advanced technology and R&D talents from Germany to help Taiwan and customers stay ahead in the development of the global semiconductor manufacturing field. "
In addition, in order to further consolidate its position in Taiwan's semiconductor field, Zeiss announced on June 18, 2024, the official completion of the first Taiwan Innovation Center at a cost of more than 300 million yuan in the Hsinchu Science Park. The first phase will introduce electronics, optics and 3D X-ray microscope’s cutting-edge semiconductor inspection and analysis solution combines artificial intelligence (AI) and exclusive related technologies to enhance inspection quality, improve production efficiency and yield. This new facility not only demonstrates Zeiss’ long-term commitment to the Taiwan market, but also Provides strong technical support for the future development of the semiconductor industry.
Zeiss Semiconductor Taiwan management team. Zeiss Semiconductor
ASML lithography equipment and the ZEISS optics within it. Zeiss Semiconductor
Zeiss Semiconductor is headquartered in Oberkochen, Germany. Zeiss Semiconductor
Exclusive interview with the head and vice president of Zeiss Semiconductor Taiwan
Johnny Fan holds an MBA degree from Lancaster University in the UK. Before joining Zeiss Semiconductor in June 2023, he worked at ASML for 17 years, working at the headquarters in Taiwan, China and the Netherlands. Services, has extensive experience in business, marketing, product, strategy, cross-border management, and organizational planning and growth, and has worked overseas for more than 8 years.
Why choose to join ZEISS Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology?
In addition to family considerations, Johnny shared that there are three reasons that drive him. The first is that when I was working at ASML, I accompanied client executives to visit Zeiss Semiconductor’s headquarters in Oberkochen, Germany, many times. I was impressed by Zeiss Semiconductor’s excellent optical lens design and production capabilities. The second point is a deep understanding of the importance of advanced lithography process equipment to Taiwan. The third reason is my love for the country Germany. "During nearly four years of living in Europe, the country I visited most frequently was Germany. Germany is rich in customs and culture, from Riesling, the grape wine produced on the beautiful Rhine River, to Rothenburg, which is full of medieval style on the Romantic Avenue. Neuschwanstein Castle and Königssee at the junction of Germany and Austria make people want to visit again and again, so joining Zeiss Semiconductor allows me to take time to visit these beautiful attractions while traveling, which is a big plus." Johnny Laughing.
What exactly does Zeiss Semiconductor do?
Johnny also mentioned: "When many people around me learned that I left ASML to join Zeiss, they realized that Zeiss is not only a leader in the eyewear industry, but also a leader in semiconductor equipment!" In fact, the Zeiss Group is a company that exceeds The 176-year-old German company has four major business divisions, including optical consumer products, medical technology, microscopes and industrial measurement quality, and the semiconductor manufacturing technology division with the highest revenue share. Johnny further mentioned that the Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology Division has more than 7,500 employees, of which more than 2,500 employees are dedicated to the development of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and high numerical aperture (High-NA) EUV technologies.
As of September 30, 2023, the annual revenue of this business unit has reached 3.555 billion euros. So what are the business scopes of this division? Johnny said that it is mainly composed of three major strategic business units, including SMO (Semiconductor Manufacturing Optics), which provides optical components in ASML lithography equipment, semiconductor process control solutions (Process Control), and semiconductor mask repair equipment solutions. Semiconductor Mask Solutions.
About the partnership between Zeiss Semiconductors and ASML?
Initially, Zeiss Semiconductor started as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), and its main customers were global semiconductor equipment manufacturers. In 1983, Zeiss Semiconductor first shipped its optical systems to today's ASML. Since then, the two companies decided to join hands as strategic partners in 1997 and work towards the common goal of becoming a technology pioneer in semiconductor manufacturing and ensuring that they maintain their leading position in the market. Zeiss is poised to become a major player in the semiconductor industry. After all, more than 80% of the world's chips must be manufactured through the lithography system of this Dutch partner, Asmore. The most critical component in the lithography system is the optical system of Zeiss Semiconductor Manufacturing Division (SMT). Zeiss plays a vital role in accelerating global digitization, enabling global chip manufacturers to evolve and continue to produce more precise and tiny chips.
Technologies that continue Moore’s Law EUV / High-NA EUV
As the interview came to this most popular and highly concerned topic in semiconductors, Johnny couldn't help but share with us excitedly: "We know that through the precise projection of EUV lithography, humans can already create a chip on a chip the size of a fingernail. , to create hundreds of millions of transistors; just imagine, using the next generation of high numerical aperture high-NA EUV, the number of transistors that can be created will be even more amazing! In terms of EUV extreme ultraviolet lithography technology, Zeiss has more than 25 years of research and development history; it even has more than 2,000 EUV patents, which of course includes high-numerical aperture (High-NA) EUV. It can be said that our optical EUV system not only redefines precision. It even has the most perfect and accurate EUV mirror in the world.”
In addition, Johnny said: "We can confirm this through ASMOOR High-NA EUV lithography equipment. Its latest High-NA EUV is the most modern, complex, and accurate in the world today. Machines allow humans to produce more advanced tiny wafers, and recently ASMOOR has shipped its latest high numerical aperture extreme ultraviolet lithography system to its first customer, Zeiss’ High-NA EUV professional. Technology has also become the focus again, and we are almost certain that Moore’s Law will continue to advance beyond 2030.”
How to make the mask perfect? - Semiconductor Mask Solutions
After talking about EUV, the secret weapon, Johnny went on to share another important role in the photolithography process - the photomask. In the process of manufacturing advanced chips, photomasks have always been an indispensable element. Try to imagine the lithography equipment as a slide. The light will pass through the mask engraved with the design and be projected onto the wafer for wafer production. But unlike slides, these projected design drawings will not maintain their original size. Instead, they need to be reduced to a small enough size through optical elements, and this projection process may need to be repeated for more than 10 seconds. It takes a hundred times to get the tiny chip we want. What SMS is doing is to measure, repair, verify and improve photomasks through core knowledge of optics and professional electronic optics, coupled with high-tech laser technology. Our ultimate goal is to help customers make their photomasks perfect, thus improving production yields. Precisely because of seeing such market demand, SMT established this important emerging strategic business unit a few years ago to further improve Zeiss Semiconductor's product line.
In view of the continuous growth of the global semiconductor market, the technology of the photomask industry is also constantly updated and developed, which brings considerable room for growth to the photomask solution department that needs to directly face customers for sales and after-sales service. Johnny emphasized that it is precisely because of this growth space and the transformation period that the department is going through that it provides an excellent stage for colleagues with rich industry experience to fully perform. He is also extremely grateful to Taiwanese customers for their encouragement and encouragement, allowing the mask solutions department to Continue on the road of improvement and grow step by step.
Zeiss Semiconductor’s next layout in Taiwan?
In recent years, semiconductor market demand has continued to rise. According to analysts, the market size of chips will double by the end of this decade, and the market size is expected to grow to about US$1 trillion by 2030. Europe has the advantage of producing cutting-edge wafer manufacturing equipment, while Taiwan is a cutting-edge wafer manufacturing center. Taiwan accounts for more than 90% of the global market for semiconductors below 10 nanometers. Johnny mentioned that "Zeiss Semiconductor's determination to deeply explore Taiwan remains unchanged. In addition to the Zeiss Semiconductor Asia Logistics Center established in Yangmei, Taoyuan in September 2023, and the Zeiss Semiconductor Mask Repair Equipment Training Center established at the National Cheng Kung University campus in Tainan Science Park in December , as the partnership with customers deepens in the future, we will continue to introduce advanced technology and R&D talents from Germany to help Taiwan and customers stay ahead in the development of the global semiconductor manufacturing field. "
In addition, in order to further consolidate its position in Taiwan's semiconductor field, Zeiss announced on June 18, 2024, the official completion of the first Taiwan Innovation Center at a cost of more than 300 million yuan in the Hsinchu Science Park. The first phase will introduce electronics, optics and 3D X-ray microscope’s cutting-edge semiconductor inspection and analysis solution combines artificial intelligence (AI) and exclusive related technologies to enhance inspection quality, improve production efficiency and yield. This new facility not only demonstrates Zeiss’ long-term commitment to the Taiwan market, but also Provides strong technical support for the future development of the semiconductor industry.
Zeiss Semiconductor Taiwan management team. Zeiss Semiconductor
ASML lithography equipment and the ZEISS optics within it. Zeiss Semiconductor
Zeiss Semiconductor is headquartered in Oberkochen, Germany. Zeiss Semiconductor