That video by the Canada guy - Asianometry - was pretty shallow and he couldn't stop himself from engaging in the "buh CCP is unconductive of technological progress that comes from individualistic truimph etc". And he says China failed to commercialize and is only limited to prototypes all these years.Considering that US restrictions and confrontation started not so long ago, he is opining that China should have been competing with traditional established lithography providers.
ASML is not just a lithography provider but also a support and service provider. They optimise their equipment and software towards the interest of their client and their needs. TSMC doesn't use ASML the same way Intel uses ASML. The cost of this extended service is also considerable ( one of the reasons why many equate ASML business to Boeing/Airbus ). ASML has created an ecosystem where suppliers provide systems and software that works only with ASML litho machines ( Canon and Nikon, as I understand, do most of this in-house or by leveraging close partnership with other Japanese companies, under the auspices of METI of Japan).
China, prior to 2018, not only faced high technology barrier for entry but also a customer base that was locked into the long term "comfortable" embrace of ASML/Nikon/Canon. The task of providing long term support and services for their products was also another. Where or what is the impetus, prior to the US China confrontation, for semi fabs to pick these Chinese products?
As i understand, the many "shell companies" that came up are merely commercialization attempts of government backed research institutes. China, prior to the events, was only engaged in making sure that they build prototypes and keep updated with the technologies. China has been searching for an impetus and true motivation. One that really forces Chinese companies to seek the "unpolished" Chinese lithography solution so that they may create an ecosystem or network to polish it together.
ASML is not just a lithography provider but also a support and service provider. They optimise their equipment and software towards the interest of their client and their needs. TSMC doesn't use ASML the same way Intel uses ASML. The cost of this extended service is also considerable ( one of the reasons why many equate ASML business to Boeing/Airbus ). ASML has created an ecosystem where suppliers provide systems and software that works only with ASML litho machines ( Canon and Nikon, as I understand, do most of this in-house or by leveraging close partnership with other Japanese companies, under the auspices of METI of Japan).
China, prior to 2018, not only faced high technology barrier for entry but also a customer base that was locked into the long term "comfortable" embrace of ASML/Nikon/Canon. The task of providing long term support and services for their products was also another. Where or what is the impetus, prior to the US China confrontation, for semi fabs to pick these Chinese products?
As i understand, the many "shell companies" that came up are merely commercialization attempts of government backed research institutes. China, prior to the events, was only engaged in making sure that they build prototypes and keep updated with the technologies. China has been searching for an impetus and true motivation. One that really forces Chinese companies to seek the "unpolished" Chinese lithography solution so that they may create an ecosystem or network to polish it together.