this post was submitted on 24 Dec 2025
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The PAS 5500/1150C is capable of producing wafers at a resolution of ≤ 90 nm with a wavelength of 193 nm, according to THIS DOCUMENT. It's a machine from the 90s and gets support through 2035.

I don't know what the actual requirements are for printing more modern chips and wafers, though.

Do you think there is much margin to be had with the more recent machines, as in cost vs benefit? There are no import restrictions in my case, for the record.

EDIT:

I did some digging and probably the answer is "NO" because the first 1GB DDR5 from Hynix was ≤ 50 nm and more modern chips use ≤ 20 nm, while I can't find anything confirming lower resolutions can't I doubt any current plans exist for it.

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[–] cardfire@sh.itjust.works 6 points 3 days ago (1 children)

It looks like DDR4 was 30Nm at launch. It's incredible what we have achieved in technology, but it feels like the progress has escaped us the way wild horses might escape a carriage.

[–] FiniteBanjo@programming.dev 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

That implies that since the first DDR5 chips were a lower resolution it's possible to work at bigger sizes, but the lower memory size implies they wouldn't actually be useful.

[–] cardfire@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 days ago

I didn't RTFA but I asked you were trying to figure out a way to alleviate RAMpocalypse with backalley hardware design and production, on limited scale operations.

I figured t's much easier to take a few steps back and create Ram at older generations venues (a ) thoroughly aimed problem with theoretically more tolerances when working at the night larger scale of architecture, and (b ) vibrant ecosystem of old hardware that can make use of it.

I'm this case, it still wouldn't bear out, though, so we both get to be disappointed together.