Nearly every manufacturing company on the globe worked through the pandemic. The vast majority of these companies, from metal fabricators to chip companies, are considered essential employers and were exempt from shut-downs. Now, through this did they experience issues, absolutely. Employees who caught the crud, additional cleaning efforts, changes in process to provide additional space, it all was a challenge that slowed output.
Chips is a very broad term. Kind of like camshaft. Just like cams come in flat tappet or roller, chips come in logic and memory. Within those two categories (on either cam or chip) are a range of capabilities. You wouldn't put a .700 lift 300* duration cam in a commuter car. Similarly, there are different chips that are in personal computers, cars, phones, or your tv remote. They aren't all created equal.
While there are a range of chips being made and a range of ways the circuits in them are created, the most complex chips, despite who makes them, are all made on the same lithography equipment. This equipment is made by a company called ASML. The machines that makes these $150 million each and takes months to make and at the moment, is the most capable way of making microchips. Nikon and Canon, former leaders in this industry, have slipped to making tools for lower technology chips.
ASML is a Dutch company. However, most of the largest chip manufacturing companies are not only in China but also in Taiwan and Korea.
Thanks for the interesting update on the technology I left 35+ years back. At that time I was involved with developing a direct write electron beam system that was capable of .5 micron geometry while also being able to do the entire wafer in one pass. It was thought at the time that the use of masks had reached their optical limits. Use of the Electron beam allowed much smaller lines but was time consuming as each die had to be done one at a time. It was strictly a political move that killed the project in spite of being very close to having it ready for release.
Also interesting that Canon backed away from leading the technology as I also worked for them for short time.
I am beginning to wonder if their current generation isn't falling into the same trap we did in the mid to late 70's with QC and overall product quality. I say this due to several recent experiences with a couple of different Japanese companies whose quality and reputations were stellar, but now have slipped substantially especially when responding to known design issues. I'm thinking China or Taiwan make overtake them eventually
