Looking back at this old post but this guy was spot on.
1. Deep ultraviolet light source (ArF light source)
On March 18, 2022, the Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences released the "2021 Yearbook" on its official website. The article mentioned: the 10mJ@4KHz engineering prototype of the 28nm immersion lithography exposure light source was delivered for full machine use and the 15mJ@6KHz principle prototype was developed.
The 10mJ@4KHz light source engineering prototype refers to an ArF light source with an output power of 40W, which is used for DUV exposure equipment and supports up to 65nm process technology. The 15mJ@6KHz light source engineering prototype refers to an ArF light source with an output power of 90W, which is used for DUVi exposure equipment. Combined with the immersion system, it supports up to 7nm process technology. If cost is not considered, it can achieve 5nm process technology. This is still an achievement in 2020. After nearly 3 years, it is enough to mass produce 90W ArF light sources.
2. Objective system
The NA value of the objective lens system that supports DUVi must reach 1.35, which is generally called "high NA immersion optical system" in China. A random search will show that the official acceptance date is December 23, 2017.
Although there is currently no public information available on the industrialization of the NA1.35 objective lens system, based on past experience, industrialization only takes 1 to 2 years. It is estimated that the current NA1.35 objective lens has completed at least 2 generations of iterative improvements!
3. Immersion system
Netizens who are familiar with the process of scientific research results transformation know that a scientific research result must be completed and accepted before it is possible to invest heavily in the establishment of a production line for mass production. On September 7, 2018, the official website of the Lin'an District People's Government of Hangzhou City announced the news that the main building of the Qier Electromechanical Lithography Machine Immersion System Product Development Base was capped (Link 3, see the end of the article) . Now that more than 5 years have passed, it is estimated that at least 2 generations of iterative improvements have been made.
A document titled "Reply of the Economic and Information Bureau of Lin'an District, Hangzhou City on Proposal No. 203 of the 10th Session of the District CPPCC" issued by the People's Government of Lin'an District, Hangzhou on June 14, 2022 mentioned that "two 02 special projects, including the lithography machine immersion system project and the localization product research and development project of key components of lithography machines, have been successfully delivered for the lithography machine immersion system project. Prototype 0 and machine No. 1 have entered the product manufacturing stage. The construction of the 02 special lithography machine worktable project undertaken by Huazhuo Precision Technology has been accelerated."
This is sufficient to prove that as of June 14, 2022, at least 2 immersion systems required for DUVi have been delivered.
4. Double worktable
It is understood that the DUVi overlay accuracy of ASML model NXT:1980Di is not less than 2.5 nanometers.
On May 10, 2022, a research paper titled "Ultra-precision High-speed Laser Interferometer Displacement Measurement Technology and Instruments" published in the China Optics Journal Network confirmed that ultra-precision laser interferometers have been used in the 28-nanometer node DUVi prototype (link 4, see the end of the article) . This shows that China has been able to build a dual worktable that meets the requirements of NXT: 1980Di, and this equipment can support up to 7-nanometer process technology.
To sum up, my country produced DUVi as early as 2019, and it can be used for production in 2021, but the yield needs to be improved, but at least the problem of whether it exists has been solved, and it can be put into production immediately if necessary, but the yield is low. After more than 4 years of optimization, the domestic DUVi has at least developed to the level of ASML's NXT: 1980Di. If the overlay accuracy of the double worktable can be further improved, it is possible to achieve NXT: 2000i or NXT: 2100i. Therefore, we speculate that the DUVi mentioned above, which will be delivered at the end of the year, is likely to reach not only the level of NXT: 1980Di, but at least the level of NXT: 2000i, and can support 5nm process technology.
The road is tortuous, but the future is bright. I believe that in the near future, my country's scientific and technological level will lead the world in all aspects!
