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Chapter 226 An Unavoidable Problem

The EUV light source technology is basically only in the hands of Citigroup Cymer. As a Chinese company, Starlight Technology is basically impossible to reach a technical cooperation with the other party, because the Citigroup government will not agree.

EUV lithography machine - a combination of top science and top manufacturing.

The EUV wavelength is only 13.5nm, and the scattering absorption intensity is relatively large when penetrating objects, which makes the light source power requirements of the lithography machine extremely high. In addition, the inside of the machine must be in a vacuum environment to avoid the absorption of EUV by air, and the lens and mirror systems are also extreme. Precision, matching resist and protective film yield also need more advanced technology to improve.

An EUV lithography machine weighs 180 tons and has more than 10 parts. It needs to be transported in 40 containers, and it takes more than a year to install and debug.In short, EUV lithography machines are almost approaching the limits of physics, materials science and precision manufacturing.

Therefore, EUV is not only top-level scientific research, but also top-level precision manufacturing knowledge.

Launched the EUV lithography machine in [-], and is currently the only EUV lithography machine supplier in the world.

In 3100, Asman released the conceptual EUV lithography system NXW:[-] for the first time, thus opening a new era of lithography systems.

In 3300, Asman released the second-generation EUV system NXE:10B, but the precision and efficiency did not have the production efficiency of the process below [-] nanometers.

This year, the third-generation EUV system NXE:3350 was launched, but it is still only in the nature of trial production.

Historically, Asman will not begin mass sales until next year, that is, in 3400, when the first batch of EUV system NXE:[-]B for manufacturing is launched.
NXE:3400B has made a breakthrough in the optical and electromechanical system technology. The wavelength of the extreme ultraviolet light source is shortened to 13nm, and it can process 125 wafers per hour, or 1500 wafers per day.

The average production yield for 4 consecutive weeks can reach 80%, which combines high productivity and high precision.

The NXE:3400C launched three years later increased the production capacity to 175 wafers per hour.

Currently, the EUV lithography machines sold by Asman include two models: NXE:3300B and NXE:3400C.

The success of EUV comes from the integration of the upstream industry chain of Aspen Lithography Machine.

Among the more than 10 parts of the EUV lithography machine, the micro laser system from the Silicon Valley Optics Group, the German Zeiss lens and the Cymer EUV light source are the most important three rings.

In [-], Intel took the lead in establishing the EUV LLC alliance, and then Asman joined the alliance as the only lithography equipment manufacturer to share research results; in [-], Asman acquired Citigroup's lithography machine giant SVGL (Silicon Valley Lithography Group); In [-], Asman acquired EUV light source provider Cymer. Cymer had already cooperated with Asman for a long time.

In 20.00, Asman acquired a [-]% stake in German Zeiss, the leader in optical lenses, to accelerate the advancement of EUV optical systems with larger numerical apertures (NA).

These acquisitions have enabled Asman to participate in almost the entire EUV lithography upstream industry chain.

However, in the process of acquiring Citigroup, Asman had to agree to build a factory and a R&D center in Citigroup to meet all Citigroup's local production capacity needs.

In addition, it is also necessary to ensure that 50.00% of the five components are purchased from American suppliers and subject to regular inspections. This also paves the way for Asman's export of lithography machines to China to be controlled by Citigroup in the future.

EUV equipment is in short supply in the downstream market.Due to insufficient supply of upstream parts (such as Zeiss lenses), the output of Asman's EUV lithography machines has been low, while the demand for the 7nm process in the downstream market is very strong. In 2011, Intel, Samsung and Takyu Electric jointly acquired 23% of Asman's equity, helping Asman increase its R&D budget and also enjoy the priority supply of EUV lithography machines.

In recent years, the EUV lithography machines that ASMAN has shipped are mainly supplied to downstream manufacturers with close cooperation such as TSMC, Samsung, and Intel.At present, among all Chinese companies, none of them can order EUV lithography machines from Asman.

Moreover, Chinese companies at this time do not seem to have an urgent need for Asman's EU∨ lithography machine. After all, Asman's immersion DUV lithography machine has not stopped exporting to the Chinese market, and Starlight Technology Group It can also produce DUV immersion lithography machines, which can fully meet domestic demand.

As for the process technology below 10 nanometers, there is very little domestic market demand in China, so the domestic market demand for higher-end extreme deep ultraviolet EUV lithography machines is not urgent.

However, global intelligent technology is developing rapidly. With the development of technology, people's requirements for chips will become higher and higher. In a few years, the world will develop towards 5G or even 6G technology. The intelligence that will be used at that time Chips must use process technology below 5 nanometers, or even 1 nanometer.

At that time, no matter how much research was advanced, the immersion DUV lithography machine could not reach the process technology below 5 nanometers.

The development of an EUV lithography machine that casts deep ultraviolet exposure technology is the ultimate way that cannot be bypassed.

But China's lithography machine R & D and production enterprises, except for a Starlight Technology Group, only Shanghai Microelectronics Group.

Kewei Electronics Group's lithography machine technology is still far behind Starlight Technology Group, let alone compared with several major foreign lithography machine companies, Microelectronics Group's lithography machine technology is still at a standstill. on a 90nm process technology.

Xingguang Technology Group has concentrated thousands of technology R&D personnel, and wants to make breakthroughs in EUV lithography machine technology, break the technology monopoly of Asman, catch up with Asman, and create a 5nm compliant machine. EUV lithography machines below the manufacturing process are not an easy task, and it is even unknown whether it can be done.

This is not a joke. There are some technical problems. It does not mean that if you work hard and invest money regardless of the cost, you will definitely succeed.

It is very clear to look at the process of Asman's research on the EUV lithography machine technology.

Without the contribution of Citigroup's scientific research strength and the technical support of some companies in Europe and the United States, ASMAN would not be able to develop EUV lithography machines.

It can be said bluntly that the EUV lithography machine is not the result of independent research by Asman, a company.

Moreover, this optical path has been developed and perfected for more than ten years.

No matter how bad the Starlight Technology Company is, there is no shortage of technology R&D talents and R&D funds, but it is still more difficult than reaching the sky to develop EUV lithography machine technology.

The key is the upstream industrial chain, which is simply not available in China and must rely on imports.

And if you want to import these high-precision technologies, you are often blocked by European and American countries, and you may not be able to buy them if you have money.

The safest way is to seek cooperation with some domestic enterprises in this field, invest funds and technical personnel, upgrade the technology of these enterprises, and strive to meet the technical requirements for producing, supplying to Xingguang Technology Group, and developing and producing EUV lithography machines.

The other is to seek technical support at the national level. After all, China is a vast country, and it gathers the strength of the whole country to develop a technology that is many times greater than the strength of a single enterprise of the Starlight Group.

For things that the Starlight Technology Group cannot do, it is relatively easy for the country to step in and be researched by some scientists from the country.

When the country was poor and white, it was able to develop two bombs and one satellite. Now the conditions are many times stronger than before. If we try our best to develop a scientific research result, there should be no problem.

(End of this chapter)