In the chip manufacturing process, there is such a step: using ultraviolet light to remove the protective film on the wafer surface. The machine used to complete this step is called a photolithography machine.

In chip manufacturing, photolithography machines are core equipment. Currently, in the field of lithography machines, there are four grades, namely ultra-high-end, high-end, mid-range and low-end. The corresponding nodes are 5/7nm process, 7-28nm process, 28-65nm process and 65-90nm process.

Today, almost any electronic device is inseparable from chips. Since the chip process has entered the 7nm era, a top EUV lithography machine is needed to manufacture advanced processes such as 7nm and 5nm. Process chip products. Currently, this kind of cutting-edge EUV extreme ultraviolet lithography machine can only be manufactured by the Dutch lithography machine giant ASML.

Without a photolithography machine, even if the most advanced chips can be designed, subsequent operations such as manufacturing and packaging will not be possible. This is why the Kirin 9000 chip based on the 5nm process developed by Huawei HiSilicon is internationally renowned, but without the support of high-end EUV lithography machines, even if it ranks first in the world, it will be useless.

Why do the top lithography machines come from the Netherlands, not the United States?

In the 1960s and 1970s, in the early development stages of lithography machines, the United States was ahead of the world. The principle of the photolithography machine at that time was very simple. It was to project light through a mask with a circuit pattern onto a wafer coated with photosensitive adhesive. The wafer at that time was only 1 inch in size.

Around the 1980s, due to the support of the United States, some assembly industries were transferred to Japan. Japan also seized the opportunity and took advantage of the situation to rise in the semiconductor field. In the 1990s, Japan's semiconductor industry became the world's largest, with exports surpassing the United States.

In 1984, Dutch lithography machine manufacturer ASML was established. At this time, ASML was just a 50:50 joint venture between Philips and a small company, ASM International, with initially only 31 employees. In the early days of its establishment, ASML had no money or customers, and could only work in a simple wooden house.

In 1997, Intel and the U.S. Department of Energy took the lead in establishing the EUV LLC cutting-edge technology organization, integrating communications giants Motorola, IBM, chip giant AMD, and three major national laboratories under the Department of Energy: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, Sandia National Laboratories, and Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.

These laboratories are the heroes behind the development of American science and technology. Their previous research results cover various cutting-edge technologies in physics, chemistry, manufacturing, and semiconductor industries.

At this time, the U.S. government regards EUV technology as the core technology to promote the development of the domestic semiconductor industry, and does not really want foreign companies to participate in it. However, at this time, domestic U.S. lithography machine companies are no longer able to support them. "Adou".

Finally, ASML agreed to establish a factory and an R&D center in the United States to meet all domestic production capacity needs, ensure that 55% of components are purchased from American suppliers, and undergo regular reviews. Only then was it included in the US EUV LLC alliance.

This is why it is said that "ASML is half European and half American."

After ASML was allowed to join EUV LLC, it soared smoothly, while Nikon and Canon But were left out, thereby losing their ticket to the future.

For more than ten years, ASML has occupied the number one position in the world, and the president of ASML has also said that even if they make the drawings for EUV lithography machine manufacturing public, no company can successfully manufacture it. come out.

EUV lithography machine, a machine that is more difficult to build than an atomic bomb, costs more than 120 million US dollars per unit. Although the price is high, it is still in short supply. Some countries even cannot buy it no matter how high the price is. .

A top-level EUV lithography machine weighs 180 tons, contains about 100,000 parts, has more than 5,000 global suppliers, and requires 40 containers for transportation. Even if you purchase ASML's EUV lithography machine, you will not be able to install and use it normally without their help. It will take a year to install and debug the entire lithography machine equipment.

Although ASML is a Dutch company, it has the power of the European Union and the United States behind it, and many key technologies are provided by the United States and EU countries. Among the components of a top EUV lithography machine, American light sources account for 27%, Dutch cavities and British vacuums account for 32%, Japanese materials account for 27%, and German optical systems account for 14%. It is the crystallization of the world's top technology.

At present, China's lithography machine field is still in its preliminary development stage, and Shanghai Microelectronics has been able to achieve mass production of 90nm lithography machines. But after 90nm, there are still 65nm, 45nm, 32nm, 22nm, 14nm, 10nm, 7nm, and 5nm. These node technologies have one hurdle at a time, and some hurdles may not be updated for a few years. The long journey of thousands of miles has just begun.

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