In recent months, the emergence of domestically produced photolithography machines has ignited fervent discussions across the internetThis revelation coincides strikingly with the Dutch government's recent restrictions on photolithography machine exportsFollowing the appointment of Dick Schoof as the new prime minister responsible for national security, the Netherlands has aligned its policies with the United States, which enacted export limitations on photolithography equipment in October 2023. This included placing ASML’s 1970i and 1980i models—considered non-advanced Deep Ultraviolet (DUV) lithography machines—on the restricted export list for China.

The implications of this decision are significant, particularly for sensitive Chinese semiconductor companies like Huawei and SMICThe Dutch government will no longer approve the sale of specific high-end DUV machines from ASMLThis move is particularly detrimental as these machines are capable of enabling Chinese firms to achieve and stabilize chip manufacturing processes at 7nm nodes or below.

Shifting focus back to the news surrounding domestically produced photolithography machines, the earliest reports emerged on September 9, when China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) released a tweet announcing the "Guidance Catalog for the Promotion and Application of Major Technological Equipment 2024," which included details about a domestic fluorine argon deep ultraviolet lithography machineThe notice was officially published on September 2.

Adding to the narrative, another piece of information surfaced on September 10, when Shanghai Microelectronics, a company long engaged in manufacturing domestic photolithography machines, disclosed a patent for an invention titled "Extreme Ultraviolet Radiation Generation Device and Lithography Equipment," with the application date listed as March 9, 2023.

Considering the Dutch government’s recent tightening of export restrictions on DUV photolithography equipment to China, these developments converged to produce the sensational announcement of a domestically produced DUV lithography machine

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Some observers have gone so far as to suggest that this new machine could rival ASML's DUV offerings.

But what is the true status of this phenomenon?

Based on information and analysis I have gathered, it is evident that domestically developed DUV lithography machines have indeed reached the stage of being publicly verified through practical useHowever, there remains a significant gap when compared to advanced products from ASML.

A critical point arises when we consider that if such a lithography machine were to remain untested in actual factory settings, similar to earlier rumors of secret domestic DUV machines being in trial production, it would result in limited commercial viability within the semiconductor manufacturing sectorThe overall implications of such a limited use would be minimalEven if these machines serve only emblematic purposes, their availability for public procurement represents a breakthroughThis might seem trivial—certainly dwarfed by ongoing developments from ASML—yet it bears monumental significance.

Let us delve into the specifics of this newly revealed lithography machine.

The most advanced machine mentioned in the MIIT guidance catalog employs a wavelength of 193nm, which adequately confirms its status as a DUV machine.

In distinguishing DUV machines, two primary categories emerge: dry and immersionThe latter is utilized for high-end chips, while the former is tailored for mature process technology, specifically for semiconductor chips with technology nodes of 65nm and above.

Immersion DUV technology, primarily developed by TSMC's Lin Bencian, employs water as a medium to enhance resolutionIn layman's terms, Lin transitioned the medium between the lens and the wafer from air (with a refractive index of approximately 1) to water (with a refractive index of 1.44) for the 193nm wavelength light, allowing the effective light wavelength to shrink to about 134nm

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This innovation significantly enhances resolution, granting the ability to manufacture more advanced semiconductor chipsGiven the current state of supporting technology in China, the recent development appears to be a fluorine argon dry DUV lithography machine.

What is the importance of immersion DUV technology? Lin’s immersion method allowed ASML to surpass Japanese giants Nikon and Canon in the early 21st century.

While the domestic lithography machine has been developed, the performance metrics publicly disclosed are not particularly impressiveDUV lithography machines span a broad classification spectrum, from mature to advanced processesFor instance, ASML's product line includes models starting with TWINSCAN NXT 2 and 19—with both centered around a 193nm light sourceThe highest tiers among these can achieve effective 7nm technology (similar to Huawei’s 7/5nm Kirin chips), whereas models starting with 14 are designed primarily for mature process manufacturing.

So, how does the domestically developed DUV lithography machine compare to ASML’s offerings? Unfortunately, the scant information released by the MIIT limits comparative assessmentAside from the critical wavelength information, only a resolution value of 65nm has been sharedIf the new lithography machine truly were cutting-edge, one would expect more comprehensive performance data to be presentedThe current specifications might suggest that it aligns more closely with the lower tier models starting with TWINSCAN NXT/XT 14 rather than the advanced counterparts; indeed, it likely operates within a more basic level.

This context indicates that the machine is more suited to the production of mature process chips.

Nonetheless, this marks a crucial step forward in what is essentially the first public acknowledgment of a domestically produced fluorine argon dry DUV lithography machine

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