When “New” Isn’t Innovation: Rethinking Lithography as Value Creation

Imagine a pub conversation where innovation is reduced to a single test: does it move us toward more value? Engineers Sean and Steve map every fab step into two categories—irreversible value-adding operations and temporary support steps like lithography. Sean argues that true innovation means shrinking or eliminating the supporting steps and asks a provocative question: what if exposure directly created the final material, not just a disposable mask? The episode traces that napkin sketch to big implications—simpler flows, fewer tools, and a shift from complexity for its own sake toward processes that directly build what customers pay for.