Despite everything, the first UVE photolithography equipment is ready.

• In 2028, Russia plans to create an EUV lithography machine capable of producing 7nm chips.

• The price of equipment for UVE 350 nm lithography barely exceeds 51,000 euros.

The media is aware of every step the Chinese government takes to strengthen its integrated circuit industry. In the current situation, when tensions have arisen between the country led by Xi Jinping on the one hand, and the United States and its allies on the other, it is understandable that China attracts everyone’s attention. However, Russia is moving relatively quietly in this area, and the news we’re about to delve into reminds us that it doesn’t have to be that way.

Vasily Shpak, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, said during the Digital Industry of Industrial Russia conference that his country has already prepared the first equipment for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photolithography. We don’t yet know the technological basis of this machine, and Russia may never make this information public, but it appears it must rely on technology not unlike what ASML uses in its own EUV lithography equipment.

This prototype can produce 350nm chips, but Russia won’t stop there

The complexity of an EUV lithography machine is very high. It took ASML more than two decades to prepare fully functional equipment equipped with this technology, and it had the financial and technological support of its best customers. Intel invested at least $4 billion in 2012 to help finance the development of this chip-making equipment. It is this complexity that explains why China still does not have its own EUV lithography machine, and it is surprising that Russia already has a ready-made prototype.

Moreover, Vasily Shpak confirmed that its design is completely Russian, and, more importantly, he also foresaw that this first IED vehicle is capable produce 350nm integrated circuits. This seems to be very low, considering that Taiwan’s TSMC and South Korea’s Samsung produce 3nm semiconductors on UVE ASML equipment. However, what is really important is that Russia already has the necessary technology to develop these photolithography machines.

From here, engineers and physicists can gradually improve their technology to make it possible to produce more advanced integrated circuits. In fact, this is exactly what the Russian government plans to do. And his itinerary states that by 2026 Russia should have a ready-made prototype of EUV lithography equipment capable of producing 130 nm chips. And in 2028 there will be another similar one, capable of producing 7nm integrated circuits. A priori, this seems like an exaggeratedly ambitious plan, but it would be imprudent to underestimate the capabilities of Russian physicists and engineers. Let’s see what happens.

Regardless, if Russia finally manages to create EUV lithography equipment capable of producing 7nm integrated circuits in 2028, it will be alarmingly close to the US and its allies in this field. With this technology it is possible produce advanced chips which can be used in smartphones, computers, servers, telecommunications equipment and, of course, the latest weapons.

Moreover, the Chinese semiconductor media outlet Ijiwei, which received this information, claims that this first Russian lithography equipment is much cheaper than ASML EUV equipment. The Russian car will cost just over 51,000 euros, and the Dutch alternative will cost about 165 million euros. The difference is staggering.

Additional information | DigiTimes Asia

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