Canon plans to use Rapidus's 2‑nanometer process technology for image sensors, but the reason is unclear.

New Steps in Japanese CMOS Sensor Technology

Key Details and Historical Context
Traditionally, image sensors for digital cameras did not require ultra‑precision lithography. Sony, for example, was content with a 28‑nm process and even helped build TSMC’s first plant in Japan.

The New Player – Rapidus
Today, one of the first customers of the new Japanese company Rapidus will be Canon, which plans to obtain 2‑nm chips from it for local production.

What Canon Is Developing
- Project: Fabricating prototype image sensors using cutting‑edge 2‑nm technology.
- Symbolic Significance: The young Japanese manufacturer can demonstrate its ability to supply high‑technology wafers to another major domestic company.
- Development will be supported by Synopsys.

Financial and Technological Aspects
Metric | Description
---|---
Total project budget | $255 million USD
Government subsidies | Two thirds of the total (≈$170 million)
Benefits of moving to 2‑nm | Improved image processing speed and quality, lower power consumption.

Canon already participated in a recent funding round for Rapidus, where the company raised $1.7 billion (including government funds) together with 31 private firms.

Why 2‑nm Technology Is Interesting for Canon
- Logic part of the sensor: Photodiodes require more silicon to capture light efficiently. Transistors that are too small inside a pixel increase noise and leakage current.
- Modern arrays are usually manufactured on more mature processes (e.g., 28 nm), where the balance between density and reliability has already been proven.

Current Customer Base of Rapidus
- At present, potential customers are few. The company originally planned to handle small orders using the most advanced lithography technologies.
- For most Japanese companies, a 2‑nm process is not yet economically justified – it is more of a political statement than a profit calculation.

Future Plans
Phase | Expected Date | Milestone
---|---|---
Mass production | Next year (2025) | Start of 1.4‑nm processors
Start of 1.4‑nm processor production | Not before 2029

Rapidus intends to expand its overseas customer base through its U.S. office. It already collaborates with the AI accelerator startup Tenstorrent. The Japanese startup Preferred Networks is exploring joint opportunities, and Fujitsu expresses interest in producing 1.4‑nm processors in Japan.

Investment Needs
Metric | Amount
---|---
Total development funding (by early next decade) | ≈$45 billion USD
Government support | Less than half – about $22.5 billion USD

Conclusion
Canon and Rapidus are creating an intriguing experiment in Japanese microelectronics: transferring the newest lithography technologies from a young manufacturer to a major camera‑lens producer. While it currently appears symbolic, the development of 2‑nm processors could become key to future innovations in imaging and AI.