China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Issued the Guiding Catalogue for the First Set of Major Technical Equipment, Including Domestic KrF and ArF Lithography Machines

TapTechNews September 15th news, on September 9th, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued the notice of the Guiding Catalogue for the Promotion and Application of the First Set (Package) of Major Technical Equipment (2024 Edition), and the content of the domestic KrF (Krypton Fluoride) lithography machine (110nm) and ArF (Argon Fluoride) lithography machine (65nm) is included in the document list.

The first set (package) of major technical equipment in China refers to equipment products that have achieved major technological breakthroughs in China, own intellectual property rights, and have not yet achieved obvious market performance, including complete machines, core systems, and key components, etc.

TapTechNews attached the screenshots of these two lines of information as follows:

Wafer diameterIllumination wavelengthResolutionOverlayKrF lithography machine300mm(about 11.8 inches)248nm≤110nm≤25nmArF lithography machine300mm(about 11.8 inches)193nm≤65nm≤8nm

Both KrF (Krypton Fluoride) and ArF (Argon Fluoride) gases serve deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography machines and generate excimer lasers for deep ultraviolet light.

At present, lithography machines have gone through five generations of development, from the earliest wavelength of 436nm, and then to the second-generation lithography machines starting to use the 365nm i-line wavelength, and the third generation is the KrF laser of 248nm. The fourth generation is the DUV laser with a wavelength of 193nm, which is the ArF excimer laser.

The ArF (Argon Fluoride) excimer laser source lithography machine, the actual wavelength of the light source breaks through 193nm and is shortened to 134nm, and the NA value is 1.35, and the highest achievable 7nm process node.

The immersion technology refers to soaking the space between the lens and the silicon wafer in a liquid. Since the refractive index of the liquid is greater than 1, the actual wavelength of the laser will be greatly reduced.

The overlay accuracy is what is often called the highest accuracy that can be achieved by multiple exposures. According to the relationship between the overlay accuracy and the mass production process of 1:3, this lithography machine can probably mass-produce chips with a 28nm process.

The 28-nanometer lithography machine is the dividing line between the low-end and middle-high-end of chips, which means industrial independence. China's various industrial products such as air conditioners, washing machines, and automobiles can break through th e numerous blockades set by Western countries and independently produce and sell.