Asia Express
Micron Plans to Invest US$3.7B in Japan for EUV Technology
May 19, 2023

With support from the Japanese government, Micron recently announced it plans to introduce EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) technology to Japan for the production of its next generation DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) on the 1-gamma node, the Commercial Daily News reported on May 19. The Hiroshima fab of Micron will play a crucial role in the development of the 1-gamma node, with an investment of up to 500 billion yen (US$3.7 billion; US$1= 135 yen) expected over the next few years. Following the successful mass production of Micron's 1-beta (1β) DRAM node in the Hiroshima fab, the company aims to incorporate EUV technology into production for the 1-gamma node in Taiwan and Japan, starting in 2025. The integration of EUV technology will result in faster, more power-efficient, and higher-performance memory products. 

MIC (Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute) predicts a 4.1% year-on-year decline in the global semiconductor market, reaching approximately US$556.6 billion in 2023. Meanwhile, shipment value of the Taiwanese semiconductor industry is projected to reach NT$41.1 billion (US$1.37 billion) in the same year, down 6.9% year-on-year. Established in 1987, MIC is a division of III (Institute for Information Industry), a major government think tank, and one of the leading IT research institutes in Taiwan.