Everyone knows that EUV lithography machines are indispensable equipment for manufacturing high-end chips, and their importance is self-evident. However, under the influence of the chip ban, even if Chinese companies have money, they cannot buy it from Dutch lithography machine giant ASML. It is no exaggeration to say that EUV lithography equipment is the biggest "fence" on the rise of my country's semiconductor industry.
So the question is, why can’t Chinese companies buy the most advanced lithography machine? Actually, the answer is very simple. First of all, as early as the 1990s, the Western country led by the United States signed the Wassenah Agreement , which stipulates that member states are not allowed to privately export advanced equipment and technology to developing countries, and the Netherlands is among them.
Secondly, because the ASML production line uses a large number of American technology and parts, its free shipment is restricted. Finally, ASML's major shareholder is a US capital company. As long as the United States says it cannot sell EUV lithography machines to, ASML will not sell them. It can also be said that ASML is the "tool" in your hand.
You should know that when my country devotes all its energy to developing EUV lithography machines, ASML pours cold water on it, saying that even if we give the drawings, China will not be able to create the most advanced lithography machines. It is undeniable that the preparation process of EUV optical machines is indeed very complicated. There are assembled as 100,000 parts alone, and more than 5,000 suppliers around the world need to provide it.
As Wang Chuanfu said in BYD : "The lithography machine is made by man, not God." Since the Huawei incident, my country has set a goal of achieving 70% chip self-sufficiency rate by 2025. At the same time, domestic enterprises and various scientific research institutions have conquered equipment and materials such as lithography machines, EDA software, lithography adhesives, and have also achieved good results.
Under such circumstances, ASML began to feel a little unsatisfied, and the reason was no different. Once we really achieve a breakthrough in the field of lithography machines, ASML may lose the "big cake" of the Chinese market. The reason why we mocked our country for not being able to manufacture optical machines was to make us give up independent research and development.
In order not to lose the industry's voice, ASML has accelerated its layout in the Chinese market. According to data, as of now, ASML has established 14 offices, 11 logistics centers, as well as several maintenance centers, R&D centers, etc., and has continuously recruited Chinese employees.
In the first quarter of this year, ASML also shipped 23 DUV lithography machines to the domestic market. Obviously, the Chinese market is very important to ASML.
Unexpectedly, just recently, the US suddenly asked ASML to tighten the shipping scope of advanced lithography machines, involving DUV lithography machines. ASML is also abnormal, not only not "obediently and obediently", but also issued a warning that if DUV lithography machines are not sold to China, the global semiconductor industry will face the risk of interruption.
In addition, ASML has also announced its lithography machine production capacity plan, with the annual production capacity of EUV lithography machines reaching 90 units and DUV lithography machines reaching 600 units by 2026.
The most important thing is that ASML executives actually said that ASML is a European company and will continue to ship non-EUV lithography equipment to the Chinese market.
Someone may ask, isn’t the largest shareholder of ASML company a US capital company? Without the consent of shareholders, will the company's executives dare to speak privately? The answer is self-evident. ASML and Mei are singing a "double act", with a simple purpose, which is to dump a large number of DUV lithography machines into the Chinese market.
In the eyes of the outside world, the United States will not easily allow ASML to ship DUV lithography machines in large quantities unless the Chinese market has broken through the technical difficulties of DUV lithography machines. Of course, this is my personal opinion. As for what the result will be, time will tell us everything. What do you think about this? Everyone is welcome to leave a message, like and share.
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