So is it 28nm resolution then? Because the article at the end said SMIC is also making lithography machines which is news to me.
Chinese semiconductor industry
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So is it 28nm resolution then? Because the article at the end said SMIC is also making lithography machines which is news to me.
Skywatcher
Captain
With immersion and good enough overlay capabilities, there's really no point for ASML to get 38nm down to 28 nm (SMEE might have chosen 28nm for whatever reason).
Skywatcher
Captain
I don't think the SMEE website is very current.
Totally agree, but my point is that since SMEE lists only the resolution of their machines. Its likely that 28nm is referring to resolution not node.
Interesting story about Nikon.
- Before 2000, Nikon dominated the lithography equipment market, ASML less than 10% market share
- TSMC introduced immersion lithography, but existing companies including Nikon were wedded to dry lithography
- ASML rose by partnering with TSMC on immersion lithography. Nikon then reversed course but it was too late
- The US set up a project on EUV lithography at Lawrence laboratory, invited ASML but rejected Nikon
- Nikon is finished. Its digital camera market collapsed with the popularity of smartphones. Japan's semiconductor manufacturers also declined
- ASML 90% of component are sourced abroad, doesn't manufacture much itself
- Before 2000, Nikon dominated the lithography equipment market, ASML less than 10% market share
- TSMC introduced immersion lithography, but existing companies including Nikon were wedded to dry lithography
- ASML rose by partnering with TSMC on immersion lithography. Nikon then reversed course but it was too late
- The US set up a project on EUV lithography at Lawrence laboratory, invited ASML but rejected Nikon
- Nikon is finished. Its digital camera market collapsed with the popularity of smartphones. Japan's semiconductor manufacturers also declined
- ASML 90% of component are sourced abroad, doesn't manufacture much itself
Skywatcher
Captain
Looks like ASML's monopoly could be jeopardy if they can't sell EUV machines to China (an embargo can only work if the embargoed country can't procure/produce enough of the embargoed item in a reasonably timely fashion at an acceptable quantity).
Yes the 28nm refers to resolution. SMEE had gone further and developed a 22nm resolution machine in April 2020.
But you better not tell this to ASML fans who believe that ASML DUV machines have the best resolution.
Isn't that jumping the gun a little bit? Weve barely scratched EUV yet.
Maybe but I would not underestimate the U.S. They play a very long game. This story shows that ASM Lithography's monopoly on EUV is not an accident but is a product of U.S. industrial policy. This article from early 1999 shows what promises ASML made at the time (when it was a tiny company) to the U.S. Department of Energy and consortium of Intel/Motorola/AMD:
-ASML agreed that 55 percent of the components used in its commercial EUV systems sold in the United States would be sourced from U.S.-based suppliers
-ASML has agreed to build a factory in the U.S., similar to its Netherlands facility. The factory will supply 100 percent of all ASML's sales in the United States.”
- ASML agreed to establish an American research and development center.
At that time ASML was a tiny company with less than 10% market share. Basically all of ASML today is just a US government project to replace Nikon. Japan also launched an $85 million EUV effort in the late 1990's but apparently it didn't succeed. I wonder why not?
Wait how are you privy to this info? I wouldn't post it here if it isn't publically available. Let's not give American CIA more reasons to sanction SMEE.
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