Russia puts into production the first 350nm lithography machine: towards chip self-sufficiency
2024-05-28 09:40:17 423
According to Russia's TASS news agency (TACC) reported that Russia has put into production the country's first 350nm chip lithography machine, which means that in the future Russia will be able to achieve self-sufficiency in the field of 350nm chips, no longer need to import the same grade of products, get rid of the dependence on foreign countries within the same grade of products. More importantly, with the production of this lithography machine, Russia will continue to explore along this technical route and develop towards more sophisticated fields.
Analysts believe that at the current stage of the white-hot Russian-Ukrainian war, the production of this lithography machine means that Russia can achieve the freedom of "washing machine chip" next, because the EU has found a large number of civilian chips on the Russian military missile weapons, its use includes washing machines, dishwashers and other appliances, which has such a paragraph.
Russia will produce lithography machines: 350nm in 2024 and 65nm in 2026
Specifically, Vasily Shpak, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia, pointed out in an interview with the media that the production of 350 nm micro lithography machine will start in 2024, and the micro lithography machine for the production of 130 nm process chips will start in 2026. Production will take place at existing plants in Moscow, Zelenograd, St. Petersburg and Novosibirsk.
Vasily Shpak pointed out that only two companies in the world currently manufacture such devices, including NIKON of Japan and ASML of the Netherlands. However, it is important for the production of semiconductors. Vasily Shpak points out that a simple logic is that if you don't have semiconductor sovereignty, then you don't have technological sovereignty, and then you are very vulnerable in terms of defense security and political sovereignty. Now Russia has mastered the technology of using foreign manufacturing 65 nm micro lithography machines, but because foreign companies are prohibited from exporting advanced micro lithography machines to Russia, Russia is rushing to develop its own production equipment.
According to Vasily Shpak, 211.4 billion rubles will be allocated for the development of domestic electronics in 2024 alone. The reason why Russia decided to develop 350 nm to 65 nm microshadow lithography machine is that chips in this technical range are mostly used in microcontrollers, power electronics, telecommunications circuits, automotive electronics and other aspects, which account for about 60% of the market. Therefore, this device is in great demand in the world market and will continue to be in demand for at least 10 years.
In addition, when asked about possible resistance, Vasily Shpak said: "I don't want to complain, all the problems are not problems, because it is about what opportunities we have and what goals we have set."
Russia also wants to develop its own lithography machine
According to Russia's cnews, St. Petersburg has created a domestic lithography complex, which includes a device for maskless image acquisition and silicon plasma chemical etching on a substrate. The developers claim that the first machine for maskless nanolithography costs about 5 million rubles (about 367,400 yuan), while foreign equivalents are worth billions of rubles.
Experts from Peter the Great St. Petersburg Technical University (SPbPU) said that two sets of devices for the production of microelectronic nanostructures have been developed, which will make it possible to "solve the problem of Russia's technological sovereignty in the field of microelectronics." Quoting a university representative, the facility complex includes equipment for maskless nanolithography and silicon plasma chemical etching.
The first mounting is used to obtain the image on the substrate without using a special mask. According to the developers, the technology is much cheaper, both in terms of money and time, compared to traditional lithography, which uses specialized light masks to acquire images. The installation runs under the control of specialized software and is fully automated.
According to the agency, such an installation is estimated to cost around 5 million rubles, which means that its price is comparable to many modern Chinese cars, such as the Geely Monjaro crossover. RIA also provides a comparison with such equipment abroad - the agency claims that the cost is tens of times higher, between 10 and 13 billion rubles.
The complex, developed by St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, aims to create nanostructures needed for "the operation of various microelectronic devices," according to a representative of the university. The first stage of the process uses a basic mask lithography machine, and the second stage uses a machine for silicon plasma chemical etching.
The second installation uses the pattern on the substrate created in the first stage. Ria Novosti writes that it is intended to be used directly to form nanostructures, but can also create silicon films that can then be used for things like gauge pressure sensors on ships.
The project's authors assured the agency that the membranes created using this facility "outperform those produced by liquid or laser etching in terms of reliability and sensitivity." They also stressed that it was an entirely domestic product.
The cost of the second installation was not disclosed by its creators.
According to Artem Osipov, head of the "Materials Technology" laboratory at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, the complex of two devices created within St. Petersburg Polytechnic University will, among other things, extend the service life of radar equipment by more than 20 times. "Electronics" at St. Petersburg Technical University told the agency. He also added that if the equipment is used in the production of solar panels, it will be possible to reduce their weight and size, and teach them to work on cloudy days and be as efficient as they are in bright sunlight.
The developer did not specify whether any Russian chipmakers were interested in its new installation. There is no word yet on when they will begin to be used in actual production. At the same time, the inventors continued to improve the lithographic complexes they created. In particular, they intend to equip two of the devices with AI, but have not specified what tasks it will solve.
St. Petersburg Polytechnic University is not the only local Russian university dedicated to creating advanced lithography solutions. As early as October 2022, CNews wrote that the Nizhny Novgorod Institute of Applied Physics (IPF RAS) of the Russian Academy of Sciences had begun work in this direction. According to reports at the time, the Institute of Applied Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IPF RAS) in Nizhny Novgorod is developing Russia's first lithography device for the production of ultra-small nanomicroelectronic devices, and as of October 2022, RAS scientists have created the first demonstration sample of the device. With this device, a single image with resolution up to 7 nm can be obtained on the substrate.
Reports at the time also pointed out that IPF RAS plans to create an industrial prototype of a domestic 7-nanometer lithography machine within six years. Therefore, an "Alpha machine" will be created in 2024. Such a device will become a working device that can perform a full operating cycle.
The second stage, the "test machine," will appear in 2026. The Nizhny Novgorod Strategy website states that equipment systems will be improved and more complex, resolution will increase, productivity will increase, and many operations will be robotized. The device can already be used for mass production.
In the third phase (2026-2028), the indigenous Russian lithography machine will receive a more powerful radiation source, improved positioning and feed systems, and will begin comprehensive work.
Nikolai Chkhalo, deputy director of the Institute of Microstructure Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said that the optical system of the demonstrator, which was assembled at the Institute of Applied Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, has surpassed all similar devices existing in the world today. Chkhalo noted that the radiation source in the Nizhny Novgorod model is more compact in operation than the lithography machines of ASML, the largest manufacturer of lithography equipment in the microelectronics industry. According to him, the latter situation greatly affects the cost, size and complexity of the device.
In terms of output, the efficiency of Russian equipment will be 1.5-2 times higher than that of ASML at the same radiant source power.
As we all know, as of October 2023, Russia is not yet able to produce microcircuits using modern technological processes, and the country can use up to 65 nanostructures, which became obsolete nearly 20 years ago. The 28nm factory is being built now, but this technological process has long since lost relevance - the 4nm process has long been mastered and will transition to 3nm in 2023.
As mentioned above, IAP RAS is working to close the huge gap between Russia and the rest of the world - university experts are developing the first domestic lithography machine capable of producing chips using the 7 nm topology. However, this will take years - devices may not begin to be fully operational until 2028.
Also in March 2023, CNews wrote that the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade ordered the development and development of lithographic materials for microelectronics production, especially the production of photoresist. The ministry will pay 1.1 billion rubles for the work.
The work is reportedly designated as a "photolysis" code. The technical specification states that its relevance is due to the fact that similar materials are not developed and produced in Russia.
As part of the research work ordered by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, it is planned to manufacture a photoresist for the lithography process with a photochemical laser radiation wavelength of 248 nm.
This work includes the development and production of photoresist known as FR248-01, FR248-02, FR248-03, FR248-04, FR248-05 grades and two anti-reflection coatings known as PA248-01 and PA248-02.
The contractor must not only perform theoretical and experimental work, but also test experimental batches of the photoresist and prepare and master its production. "In the course of conducting the research, samples of the developed material must be transferred to the enterprise and conclusions drawn on the level and suitability of the parameters," the document states.
The use of raw materials, materials and equipment produced abroad in the process of research and development must be approved by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Either way, it is unlikely to be an easy task for Russia.
