I looked into this bit yesterday. I think we can assume that they are working on this, but the actual progress and when mass production will start is a big question
Chinese semiconductor thread II
- Thread starter vincent
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As it should. These are hostile acts for diplomats to call out. That said, diplomats are unlikely to know what impact to specific companies like CXMT.
China's diplomats reacted strongly since the bans began on ZTE and Huawei in 2018. But the industry has advanced as a whole since. Just read the thread.
The only photoresists China would have issues with procuring from local firms are those for EUV so until China need those the issue is less critical than the bans on manufacturing equipment which is where stockpiling is occurring -- best exemplified by the ASML figures in 2023.
Shanghai Anji Electronics' "Integrated Circuit Materials Base Project" starts construction
The groundbreaking ceremony of Shanghai Anji Electronic Materials Co., Ltd.'s "Integrated Circuit Materials Base Project" was held in the Shanghai Chemical Industry Zone.
According to reports, Anji Microelectronics Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Anji Technology") is a high-tech semiconductor materials company based on independent innovation and integrating R&D, production, sales and technical services. Anji Technology's main business is the research and development and industrialization of key semiconductor materials. Its current products include different series of chemical mechanical polishing fluids, functional wet electronic chemicals, electroplating fluids and additives, which are mainly used in integrated circuit manufacturing and advanced packaging fields. 2021 On December 1, Anji Technology registered and established Shanghai Anji Electronic Materials Co., Ltd. in Shanghai Chemical Industry Zone.
There is not enough production of photoresist in China for advanced processes. Everything above 250nm would be affected in case of a total ban. China could of course counter by stopping exports of neon gas, gallium, and germanium. The West has significant stockpiles of those which could last them up to a year though.
Chemicals don’t require massive lead time for expansion.
Why aren't they producing them in quantity then? They have had several years to expand their production.
It can easily take two years to build a factory and equip it to start production. In the case of chemicals it might take even longer. And I have read of some build ups of similar chemical facilities in the past. Quite often they use Western companies as contractors to design and build the facilities in China even.
AMEC has obtained the invention patent authorization: "Vacuum processing system, abutment driving device and control method thereof"
China Microelectronics Corporation has newly obtained an invention patent authorization. The patent is called "vacuum processing system, abutment driving device and control method", and the patent application number is CN201911379900. 0, the authorization date is March 8, 2024.
Patent abstract: The present invention discloses a vacuum processing system, a driving device of a base and a control method thereof. The driving device of the base includes a support component for carrying the base and at least two driving units. The driving unit The driving end of the unit is connected to the supporting member, and the connection position between the driving end of each driving unit and the supporting member is arranged symmetrically with respect to the vertical centerline of the supporting member to drive the supporting member to rise and fall vertically. . The structural design of the driving device can improve the reliability of the vertical lifting of the wafer in the vacuum chamber of the vacuum processing system, reduce the probability of deflection during the lifting process, and accurately control the gap between the wafer and the nozzle.
China Microelectronics Corporation has newly obtained an invention patent authorization. The patent is called "vacuum processing system, abutment driving device and control method", and the patent application number is CN201911379900. 0, the authorization date is March 8, 2024.
Patent abstract: The present invention discloses a vacuum processing system, a driving device of a base and a control method thereof. The driving device of the base includes a support component for carrying the base and at least two driving units. The driving unit The driving end of the unit is connected to the supporting member, and the connection position between the driving end of each driving unit and the supporting member is arranged symmetrically with respect to the vertical centerline of the supporting member to drive the supporting member to rise and fall vertically. . The structural design of the driving device can improve the reliability of the vertical lifting of the wafer in the vacuum chamber of the vacuum processing system, reduce the probability of deflection during the lifting process, and accurately control the gap between the wafer and the nozzle.
The factories for mass productions has been built, like you can scout this thread and see the quantity of manufacturing facilities that have been build for photoresist production and related chemicals. The problem is the mass production will only start once the chemical have been verified by the fabs, as @tphuang said it takes time for verification.
I get what you are saying because the another problem if that Chinese fab managers and industrialists are always reluctant to incorporate local products into their process even if those products are near foreign quality, is only when the water is close to their mouths that they take action. As I said before the only thing that the US could have done to stop China semiconductor progress is...nothing. Just let the same semiconductor monopolies keep selling their products in China and Chinese industrialists and liberalists will always find an excuse to keep the Chinese semiconductor companies on the sidelines and make a quick money.
And the Chinese government did not put enough pressure to localize sooner at least the more mature nodes lines.
I get what you are saying because the another problem if that Chinese fab managers and industrialists are always reluctant to incorporate local products into their process even if those products are near foreign quality, is only when the water is close to their mouths that they take action. As I said before the only thing that the US could have done to stop China semiconductor progress is...nothing. Just let the same semiconductor monopolies keep selling their products in China and Chinese industrialists and liberalists will always find an excuse to keep the Chinese semiconductor companies on the sidelines and make a quick money.
And the Chinese government did not put enough pressure to localize sooner at least the more mature nodes lines.
Volatile gases are trickier than other kinds of chemicals. Either way, think lack of volume production of resists is probably more tied to market opportunities than capabilities. Just like anything else they’ll ramp up production when they need to and not before that.
The Chinese foundries are imbeciles then. Companies like SMIC should have been seeing this possible ban on materials a mile away. The Japanese did the same thing to South Korea several years ago. How hard would it have been to pass some bulk orders to Chinese photoresist companies?