Domestic chips
Domestic photolithography machines are beginning to break through
As the most important part of the chip manufacturing industry, the role of photolithography machines is naturally very important. As other equipment in the chip industry chain, such as etching machines and , have broken through to 5nm, the domestic chip industry has become more and more complete, and photolithography machines have become the last technical difficulty to be overcome.
Lithography machine technology has made a breakthrough
In fact, China also attaches great importance to lithography machines. As early as 2006, it began to implement the "Very Large Scale Integrated Circuit Manufacturing Technology and Complete Process" project, in which lithography machines are among 16 major special tasks. Ranked second, it is also called "02 special ". In order to complete the research and development of lithography machines, multiple departments and institutions need to cooperate. Many top domestic research institutes and universities are involved in the research and development of lithography machines.
Among them, the EUV extreme ultraviolet light source is responsible for technical research by Changchun Institute of Optics and Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences; the lithography machine dual workpiece stage system is responsible for technical research by Tsinghua University / Huazhuo Jingke ; the high NA immersion optical system is responsible for technical research by Changchun Institute of Optics and Mechanics; Ke Precision Optics is responsible for technical research; EUV photoresist is jointly researched and developed by Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences / Institute of Physics and Chemistry Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences .
Domestic lithography machine
In addition to the above-mentioned known enterprises and research institutes, there are more scientific research institutions silently carrying out research and development and breakthroughs in lithography machine technology. It is precisely with concerted efforts that the first A domestic lithography machine that can be used for 28nm chip manufacturing is also expected to be unveiled in the near future.
Although it seems that 28nm is still far behind the most advanced 3nm, in fact, 28nm is the most widely used chip process in daily life and aerospace and other fields. Once the 28nm lithography machine achieves a breakthrough, it will also mark the realization of independent controllability in the Internet of Things, smart industry, aerospace and other fields.
ASML
ASML suddenly increased its export efforts
At the same time that domestic lithography machines were about to achieve a breakthrough, ASML suddenly and uncharacteristically began to increase its export efforts of lithography machines. According to ASML's first quarter 2022 financial report, ASML sold 23 lithography machines to China from January to April and set a new sales record. You must know that ASML has only sold a total of 50 photolithography machines to the country for many years, but now it has sold 23 photolithography machines in just 4 months. Why did ASML make such a big change?
Chip manufacturing
On the one hand, with the recent rapid expansion of technologies including new energy vehicles and the Metaverse, the demand for chips has also grown significantly. At present, China is also the only country in the world that has restored production order on a large scale. From data statistics, we can see that chip manufacturing output in 2021 increased by 33.3% year-on-year, which also means that domestic chip manufacturing and production capacity is steadily improving.
As the world's largest lithography machine manufacturer, ASML naturally cannot sit back and watch this market lose to others, so it chooses to sell lithography machines at reduced prices to seize the market and continue to maintain its dominant position in the field of lithography machines.
ASML lithography machine
The second reason is naturally to seize the position before domestic lithography machines are officially rolled off the production line. Why did it only sell more than 50 lithography machines in so many years, but now 23 lithography machines are sold in just 4 months? The most important reason is that domestic lithography machines have made breakthroughs and will officially roll off the production line to become ASML's direct competitor. If ASML continues to maintain its previous "reluctant to sell" strategy, it will undoubtedly cede the market to domestic lithography machine manufacturers.
At the same time, ASML still chooses to sell low-end i-line lithography machines and Arf lithography machines this time, while high-end EUV lithography machines are still banned from sale. This also shows ASML's current attitude - once you can build a lithography machine, then I will immediately choose to sell at a reduced price to seize the market.
Domestic chip manufacturers purchase ASML lithography machines
Dilemma of choice
Faced with the choice of ASML to sell lithography machines at reduced prices, the domestic chip industry is currently also in a dilemma. As a chip manufacturer, now is a good opportunity to comprehensively increase production capacity and compete for chip market share.In addition to lowering prices, ASML has also increased the supply of photolithography machines, allowing domestic chip manufacturers to find ways to rapidly expand production capacity.
Therefore, many domestic chip manufacturers have also chosen the lithography machines provided by ASML. This has also enabled ASML to sell 23 lithography machines in just 4 months, and has also made the mainland market become ASML's largest market. .
ASML lithography machine
But on the other hand, all ASML currently sells are low-end lithography machines, and no high-end EUV lithography machine has been sold to us so far. From this we can also see ASML's "moth" - that is, we will sell you the lithography machines you can make, but we will continue to hold you back if you can't make the lithography machines.
High-end EUV lithography machines must also accumulate technology from the low end. At present, domestic lithography machine manufacturers have finally broken through 28nm, and ASML's price reduction sales strategy will undoubtedly have a great impact on the sales of domestic lithography machines. If a large amount of early R&D investment cannot be returned, then the R&D of EUV lithography machines will inevitably come to a standstill.
is about improving chip production capacity and developing photolithography machines. How should we solve this dilemma? Welcome to leave a message for discussion.
