Because the photolithography machine moves the pattern on the template to the photoresist after gelling the surface of the silicon wafer. This process can copy the device or circuit structure to the silicon wafer, which is the chip. This is a core manufacturing process that only the ASML manufacturer in the Netherlands can do in the world.
The application of chips drives the lithography machine market
ASML, a large Dutch manufacturer, is mainly engaged in the production of lithography machines. This kind of lithography machine is one of the core steps in chip manufacturing. , and there are several main categories of lithography machines. Among them, lithography machines used for chip production are very popular among manufacturers, and some are used for packaging and projection in the field of LED manufacturing. ASML is a manufacturer in chip production. The leading lithography machine, accounting for 80% of the market share.
Currently, tens of billions of chips are produced in the world every year, and these chips are used in mobile phones, computers and other smart devices. In the future, they will be more widely used in various fields, and these chips The production principle is basically through exposure and development, which is very similar to the process of developing photos in the past. Therefore, in the process of manufacturing chips, a photolithography machine for projecting circuit groups is necessary. However, in the past few decades, The most advanced lithography machines in the middle of the year require a wavelength of 193 nanometers, but the latest chip production can already be less than 10 nanometers, which is like what we see on the Internet, using pencil lead to do micro-engraving.
ASML technology monopoly, ultra-high price is still hard to find
In the field of optical passenger aircraft in the world, in addition to the ASML manufacturers in the Netherlands, optical manufacturers such as Canon and Nikon It is also slightly involved, but Canon and Nikon are only in the preliminary stage and are currently unable to compete with machines from Dutch manufacturers. Therefore, ASML has always been in a state of technological monopoly in this field. The unit price of the latest optical passenger aircraft has exceeded 100 million US dollars, but the photolithography machine produced by Nikon is only one-third of that of ASML. However, even at such a cheap price, it cannot match ASML in terms of sales. The manufacturer's orders have been reserved for next year.
Because manufacturers with this demand naturally don’t mind spending more money to buy better products, but if you want to manufacture chips below 10 nanometers, you can only do it through EUV technology, so In the current industry market, ASML has no rivals at all. Its technology has formed a monopoly, resulting in the high price of its photolithography machines. Our domestic Center International has ordered an optical passenger aircraft, and the unit price has reached as high as 120 million U.S. dollars. Although the price is very expensive, having such a machine in our industry means that in the future we will be able to produce high-precision chips. Deficiencies in this aspect can be quickly made up for.
Domestic technology is catching up, and self-sufficiency is just around the corner
In fact, we also have corresponding domestic production of photolithography machines. In 2016, Tsinghua University, Huazhong Technology and Shanghai Microelectronics Equipment Company jointly The institute has completed the acceptance of the system prototype of the lithography machine, which means that my country has become one of the few countries in the world that can develop lithography machines. At present, Shanghai Microelectronics has completed the delivery of the 100th domestic lithography machine. This technology breaks through the constraints of the past and marks a new breakthrough in our EUV optical imaging technology.
In the future, as our country’s technology level improves, I believe that in the near future, our country may be able to use its own photolithography machines for chip research and development, but this is just a beautiful vision. At present, we Although they are actively catching up with foreign technology in the field of lithography machines, the gap in level is still huge.
At present, we have mastered the preliminary technology, but subsequent development requires more experience accumulation. Today, among the wafer processing equipment in the international market, the investment proportion of photolithography machines has reached as high as 30%. The price of an ASL EUV lithography machine is as high as hundreds of millions. If our state-owned enterprises can participate in international competition in the future, then it will be just around the corner for our chips to catch up with the international level.