We did not expect this. Neither we nor a good part of SEMICONDUCTOR EXPERTS that have been wet both and within China. And there are solid clues that argue that Huawei is already testing at its Dongguan facilities, in the province of Canton, the first team of extreme ultraviolet photolithography (UVE) Designed and manufactured entirely in China. The filtered photography that we publish a little lower in this article corroborates it.
The leaks They assure That unlike the UVE machines produced by the Dutch company ASML, this Chinese lithography equipment uses an LDP ultraviolet light source (laser induced discharge), and not LPP class (plasma generated by laser). Presumably the development of this source of ultraviolet radiation emission is the milestone that has allowed Chinese engineers to develop a machine that Many experts did not see possible before five years in the best case.
At the moment the most prudent is that we take this information with caution, but it seems solid enough to echo it. An interesting note is that on paper the LDP source is able to generate UVE light with a wavelength of 13.5 nm, so this Chinese prototype should be able to compete from you to you with ASML UVE photolithography machines. In addition, the leaks argue that China will begin the production of more test machines during the third quarter of this year with the purpose of launching the large -scale manufacture of these equipment during 2026.
Why are the UVE photolithography teams so important to China
The sanctions of USA and its allies They prevent ASML from giving their Chinese clients their most sophisticated integrated circuit manufacturing equipment. Its UVE machines belong to this category. The Chinese companies Huawei and SMIC have managed to produce 7 Nm chips using the deep ultraviolet lithography machines (UVP) of ASML that they have in their possession, but to make it possible they have had to resort to a technique known as Multiple patterning.
The ‘multiple patterning’ perceptibly expensive chips and lies the production capacity
This technique in broad strokes consists in transferring the pattern to the wafer in several passes with the purpose of increasing the resolution of the lithographic process. It works, but it has two big problems: it perceptibly expensive the chips and Merms production capacity. In addition, presumably will not allow to go beyond 5 Nm. Chinese manufacturers of integrated circuits have turned with mature chips production To sustain your business, but this strategy will not allow China to compete on equal terms with the US and its allies.
An important note: mature semiconductors usually occur in nodes of 28 nm or less advanced, and are used in appliances, cars and electronic consumption devices. China needs to produce 3 NM chips or with even more advanced integration technologies to acquire the ability to develop semiconductors comparable to the most sophisticated that are currently manufacturing TSMC, Intel, Samsung or SK Hynix. The competitiveness of Huawei, SMIC and other companies is at stake.
If this information is finally confirmed and China has its Commercial UVE machines in 2026, it will have taken a crucial step in its pulse with the US. Even so, Asml will continue to have The best lithography teams: The machines Haute Opening UVE that Intel is already testing, and that with all probability will soon verify TSMC and Samsung.
Image | ASML
More information | WCCFTECH