Chinese semiconductor thread II
- Thread starter vincent
- Start date
They did say the Beijing fab is also operational and that they will have 280k wpm by end of this yr. Which is a lot. If you have a fully expanded hefei and Beijing location, that’s probably 500k wpm and 25% market share.
Who could be lobbying for this?
I wrote about China's Tungsten strategy before and now it is apparently causing price hikes in the semi supply chain
90% Price Hike Shock in Semiconductor Gas WF6
90% Price Hike Shock in Semiconductor Gas WF6
If China controls 80% of the world supply of tungsten then prices might rise way more than 90%.
I know the lack of Chinese tungsten imports was a big issue for the Soviets after the Sino-Soviet split.
It is not just semiconductor manufacturing. You have tungsten carbide cutting tools. And those wear out. Diamonds are an alternative. But China just slapped controls on synthetic diamonds and other high hardness materials.
In semiconductors I think Micron uses tungsten in their DRAM process.
I know the lack of Chinese tungsten imports was a big issue for the Soviets after the Sino-Soviet split.
It is not just semiconductor manufacturing. You have tungsten carbide cutting tools. And those wear out. Diamonds are an alternative. But China just slapped controls on synthetic diamonds and other high hardness materials.
In semiconductors I think Micron uses tungsten in their DRAM process.
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Yingshu has developed FEM series of flat panel display laser direct writing exposure equipment.
Can be used in UV - glass production, FEM/CMM metal mask manufacturing, large-size universal mask manufacturing, panel edge coding.
Claims that the core components are fully domestic and its laser direct writing supports Micro LED display research.
And the product line supports Gen 4 to 10.5.
And fully controlled loop to keep data inside China, so not leaking on IP and such.
I haven't done enough research on FDP front to see which other firms are involved, so no idea how big they are here domestically, but China is importing far less FPD equipment.
Peking team claims to have solved the problem of chip lithography defects
A research team led by Professor Peng Hailin from Peking University, in collaboration with institutions including Tsinghua University and the University of Hong Kong, has published a breakthrough paper in Nature Communications that uses cryo-electron tomography (Cryo-ET) to reveal the 3D nanostructure and molecular behavior of photoresist materials in liquid environments during semiconductor photolithography. This marks the first application of Cryo-ET in the semiconductor field.
The study addresses a long-standing industry challenge: pattern defects caused by polymer entanglement in photoresists, which degrade chip performance and yield especially at advanced nodes like 7nm and below. Traditional characterization methods lack resolution or are incompatible with liquid conditions, leaving process optimization reliant on trial and error.
Using Cryo-ET, the team achieved a resolution better than 5 nanometers, visualizing how photoresist polymers behave at gas-liquid interfaces and in solution. They found that increasing post-exposure bake (PEB) temperature to 105°C reduces polymer entanglement, enabling disentanglement and shorter contour lengths key to minimizing surface defects.
The proposed method successfully reduces pattern defects by over 99%, eliminates photoresist residue on 12-inch wafers, and is fully compatible with existing semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
Peng Hailin emphasized that this solution is directly applicable in industrial settings and represents a significant step toward solving lithography bottlenecks. The work exemplifies interdisciplinary research, bridging structural biology and semiconductor science.
In addition to this breakthrough, Chinese academia has made notable advances in photoresist technology:
- Tsinghua University developed a novel polytelluroxide-based EUV photoresist.
- Fudan University designed a functional photoresist enabling integration of 27 million organic transistors.
- Huazhong University of Science and Technology achieved a breakthrough in chemically amplified dual non-ionic photoacid systems with full process validation.
Peng Hailin stressed the need for closer collaboration between academia and industry, urging early investment in next-generation EUV photoresists, as global research in this area began over two decades ago. Chinese researchers are now actively working to close the gap in advanced lithography materials.
The study addresses a long-standing industry challenge: pattern defects caused by polymer entanglement in photoresists, which degrade chip performance and yield especially at advanced nodes like 7nm and below. Traditional characterization methods lack resolution or are incompatible with liquid conditions, leaving process optimization reliant on trial and error.
Using Cryo-ET, the team achieved a resolution better than 5 nanometers, visualizing how photoresist polymers behave at gas-liquid interfaces and in solution. They found that increasing post-exposure bake (PEB) temperature to 105°C reduces polymer entanglement, enabling disentanglement and shorter contour lengths key to minimizing surface defects.
The proposed method successfully reduces pattern defects by over 99%, eliminates photoresist residue on 12-inch wafers, and is fully compatible with existing semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
Peng Hailin emphasized that this solution is directly applicable in industrial settings and represents a significant step toward solving lithography bottlenecks. The work exemplifies interdisciplinary research, bridging structural biology and semiconductor science.
In addition to this breakthrough, Chinese academia has made notable advances in photoresist technology:
- Tsinghua University developed a novel polytelluroxide-based EUV photoresist.
- Fudan University designed a functional photoresist enabling integration of 27 million organic transistors.
- Huazhong University of Science and Technology achieved a breakthrough in chemically amplified dual non-ionic photoacid systems with full process validation.
Peng Hailin stressed the need for closer collaboration between academia and industry, urging early investment in next-generation EUV photoresists, as global research in this area began over two decades ago. Chinese researchers are now actively working to close the gap in advanced lithography materials.
Anhui Jingmei Photomask Project with a total investment of 12 billion yuan started construction
Recently, the independent third-party semiconductor high-end mask project - Anhui Jingmei Mask officially started construction in Hefei High-tech Zone.
The project, located at the southeast corner of the intersection of Fuxing Road and Huolongdi Road, covers an area of approximately 45.6 mu (approximately 1.6 acres) and focuses on the research, development, production, and sales of semiconductor photomasks at 28nm and above. The first phase of the project, which has commenced construction, will construct a new, high-standard automated production line, expected to begin operations in 2027. At full capacity, the project will achieve a monthly production capacity of 3,200 sheets. Upon completion, the project will effectively alleviate China's long-standing reliance on imported high-end photomasks, enhance the domestic production of the industry chain, and strengthen its independent control capabilities.
Anhui Jingmei Photomask Co., Ltd. reportedly has a mature production line, having successfully rolled off the first mask in the province in July 2024 and the first batch of mask products into mass production in October of the same year. This demonstrates its solid technical foundation and proven production line operation experience. As an independent, third-party semiconductor high-end mask manufacturer, Jingmei will precisely meet the domestic and international market demand for high-end masks with its flexible service model, efficient production capacity, and reliable product quality.
The project, located at the southeast corner of the intersection of Fuxing Road and Huolongdi Road, covers an area of approximately 45.6 mu (approximately 1.6 acres) and focuses on the research, development, production, and sales of semiconductor photomasks at 28nm and above. The first phase of the project, which has commenced construction, will construct a new, high-standard automated production line, expected to begin operations in 2027. At full capacity, the project will achieve a monthly production capacity of 3,200 sheets. Upon completion, the project will effectively alleviate China's long-standing reliance on imported high-end photomasks, enhance the domestic production of the industry chain, and strengthen its independent control capabilities.