▲ ASML
As China emphasizes technological self-reliance in response to U.S. export restrictions on advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment, a Chinese company has unveiled a prototype of a core component for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems.
According to Chinese media outlets including HK01 on the 15th (local time), the Chinese firm Langdaosuiyan debuted its "EUV light source system" prototype at the 26th China International Industry Fair held in Shanghai.
HK01 evaluated that this component is akin to the "heart" of a lithography machine, placing it at the forefront of domestically developed Chinese products revealed to date.
A company representative explained that the localization rate of their EUV light source system reaches 90%, with the majority of core components independently researched and developed. The representative added that its technological route aligns with global frontrunners and is at a level where it can be used for wafer exposure testing.
At the same time, the official noted that actual commercial mass production of the component will still require 3 to 5 years, citing increased output and stability during long-term operation as major challenges.
Commercial EUV lithography systems require light source outputs in the hundreds of watts and must remain stable even during high-intensity, long-term operation. It is reported that a clear gap exists with this prototype, requiring breakthroughs to be achieved through cooperation across the entire industrial chain.
ASML acquired Cymer, then a leading global light source company, in 2013, thereby securing dominance over the industrial chain for high-power EUV light source technology.
The United States has blocked the export of EUV lithography equipment—which is monopolized by Dutch firm ASML—to China through technology export controls.
EUV lithography equipment is considered essential for producing advanced semiconductors of 7 nanometers (nm, one billionth of a meter) or smaller, and export controls on EUV equipment are regarded as a major hurdle to the development of China's semiconductor industry.
(Photo: Getty Images)
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