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(Blog at Baidu;
 See https://www.euvlitho.com/2021/S34.pdf for original SSMB-EUV plan.)

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ASML started to panic. China can't build a photolithography machine, but it can build a photolithography factory!
Bu Xiaotong
2023-09-17 22:34
Henan
Recently, ASML, a giant company in lithography equipment, has begun to panic because they are facing an unprecedented challenge, that is, China, a country that has always been very dependent on imports of lithography equipment, is growing at an alarming rate. Catching up, even after three years of U.S. sanctions, Chinese semiconductor companies have still not been defeated, and have continued to invest in independent research and development, making breakthroughs in lithography machine technology.


Dutch ASML panic
As we all know, in the field of lithography machines, ASML of the Netherlands plays an important role. As the only manufacturer in the world that can mass-produce EUV lithography machines, ASML has a very high say in lithography machines. Even the United States has to pay attention to it and try its best to win over.

However, just recently, ASML executives have begun to panic and even called for the relaxation of export controls on China.

Wen Ningke, the president of ASML, also bluntly said in an interview: There is no hope of completely isolating China. If we don't share technology, they will study it themselves. China has a population of 1.4 billion, and many people are very smart. They will come up with many solutions that we have not thought of. The pressure from the outside is forcing them to become very innovative.


This is indeed the case. In recent years, the United States has been trying to limit the rise of China's semiconductors. Through technology blockades and restrictions on equipment exports, it has forced a large number of Chinese companies to embark on the path of comprehensive independent research and development. In the end, in the United States Under the strong pressure of China, instead of being strangled, China's semiconductors have strengthened the progress of independent research and development. In the end, only the United States and Western countries were weakened.

And why ASML suddenly panicked? Naturally, there was an existence in the field of lithography machines that could threaten its status. We turned our attention back to China.


If we can’t build a photolithography machine, we can build a photolithography factory.
Previously, there was such a paper in "Acta Physica Sinica": "Steady-state Micro-bunch Accelerator Light Source". Perhaps many people are not familiar with this kind of professional paper. Simply put, this paper proposed an innovative light source. Engraving machine development route: SSMB-EUV lithography machine.

At the same time, the Steady-State Micro-bunched Extreme Ultraviolet Light Source (SSMB-EUV) lithography light source plan proposed by Tsinghua University also verified the feasibility of this concept. This plan was previously verified in principle through Germany's Free Electron Laser (FEL) and published in the journal Nature.


What’s even more exciting is the news that the device has already started construction in Xiongan. Regarding SSMB-EUV technology, to put it simply, we bypassed the US technology blockade and took a completely different technical route, thereby achieving a major breakthrough in lithography machines - we do not build lithography machines, but directly build them A photolithography factory.

It can be seen that SSMB-EUV technology has brought a new way of thinking, because currently, if China wants to realize the research and development and manufacturing of lithography machines, it cannot do without a patent, which is the miniaturization of the light source. However, it is almost difficult to obtain this patent. Like ascending to heaven. That being the case, why don't we just make a big light source?

SSMB-EUV technology uses a huge ring accelerator as a light source to directly drive multiple lithography machines and provide them with working light sources, transforming the lithography machine into a lithography factory!


Bypass the blockade and overtake on the curve
China has never been short of miracles. In order to export lithography machines, ASML in the Netherlands must achieve miniaturization. Our top priority is to produce and use them ourselves, so naturally there are not so many restrictions.

If you want to compare the lithography machine to a printer, ASML is selling printers, but the printer is too precise and difficult to manufacture, so we simply open a printing factory. Regardless of whether we have a printer, just tell us whether we can print. If you don't sell printers, it just needs to be able to meet your own needs.


Therefore, we have no need to export the lithography machine. Even if we make it large, what does it matter even if it occupies hundreds or thousands of square meters? Anyway, we use it ourselves.

It is precisely because of this that ASML feels the threat from Chinese semiconductors.

It is undeniable that there is still a big gap between my country's lithography machine technology and giant companies such as ASML. However, we have always adhered to the line of independent research and development, and the development speed is very fast. It is only a matter of time before we completely break through the technological blockade.