Stepper in the context of Memory chip

Nikon Corporation (株式会社ニコン, Kabushiki-gaisha Nikon) Japanese: [ɲiꜜkoɴ] ; (UK: /ˈnɪkɒn/; incorrect, but common: US: /ˈnaɪkɒn/) is a Japanese optics and photographic equipment manufacturer. Nikon's products include cameras, camera lenses, binoculars, microscopes, ophthalmic lenses, measurement instruments, rifle scopes, spotting scopes, and equipment related to semiconductor fabrication, such as steppers used in the photolithography steps of such manufacturing. Nikon is the world's second largest manufacturer of such equipment.

Since July 2024, Nikon has been headquartered in Nishi-Ōi, Shinagawa, Tokyo where the plant has been located since 1918.

In the microelectronics industry, a semiconductor fabrication plant, also called a fab or a foundry, is a factory where integrated circuits (ICs) are manufactured.

The cleanroom is where all fabrication takes place and contains the machinery for integrated circuit production such as steppers and/or scanners for photolithography, etching, cleaning, and doping. All these devices are extremely precise and thus extremely expensive.