China's leading semiconductor manufacturer, SMIC, trials its first domestic immersion deep ultra-violet (DUV) lithography tool - a significant advancement towards homegrown wafer fabrication equipment autonomy for the company.
The Chinese company, Shanghai Yuliangsheng Technology Co., is making strides in China's quest for self-sufficiency in wafer fab equipment with its homegrown lithography tool, codenamed 'Mount Everest'. This tool, currently under development, is designed to rival the ASML Twinscan NXT:1950i, a tool designed for 32nm-class process technology in one exposure.
The Yuliangsheng tool, however, operates outside the influence of U.S. or European export policies, a significant factor in China's effort to reduce dependence on foreign technology. In late 2024, the tool was added to the U.S. Department of Commerce's Entity List.
The Yuliangsheng tool, primarily made from components sourced within China, is being developed for 16nm and potentially 7nm fabrication nodes. It is expected to be integrated into SMIC's production lines starting in 2027, after its qualification. Before that, SMIC will continue to rely on tools from ASML.
SMIC, the largest Chinese foundry, is currently testing this domestic immersion DUV lithography tool developed by Shanghai Yuliangsheng Technology Co. The tool, still in the development phase, is not yet being used in SMIC's production flow. It is unclear whether it is being used in SMIC's production flow or if it is just being tested.
The company responsible for the development of the immersion DUV lithography tools tested by Shanghai Yuliangsheng Technology Co. and blacklisted by the U.S. Trade Commission around Christmas 2024 is SMEE (Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment Co., Ltd.).
Shanghai Yuliangsheng Technology Co. and SiCarrier, a company reportedly an investor of the former, are likely to belong to the same group working on the same goal. Both companies tend to call their WFE projects after mountains. The link between Yuliangsheng and SiCarrier, a subsidiary of Huawei's SiCarrier, is noteworthy.
ASML, a global leader in lithography systems, has developed the NXT:2000i for 7nm and 5nm-class fabrication technologies, which is generations ahead of the NXT:1950i. It will take Yuliangsheng years to jump to 16nm and then to 7nm fabrication nodes with a significantly redesigned scanner. After the existing tool matures and gets inserted into SMIC's 28nm flow in 2027, it will take Yuliangsheng years to improve the tool's overlay performance, precision, control, and complexity for sub-10nm fabrication processes.
Sub-10nm fabrication processes on domestic lithography systems are not expected earlier than in 2030. The company is working to localize the entire supply chain for the tool, a crucial step towards self-sufficiency. If successful, the Yuliangsheng tool could be a significant milestone in China's journey towards technological independence.
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