China has made a breakthrough in lithography machine technology and broken the monopoly of foreign countries
Extreme ultraviolet lithography machine is a key equipment for manufacturing advanced chips of 7 nanometers and below, and has been monopolized by foreign companies for a long time. The Chinese scientific research team has made a major breakthrough in this field, independently developed the key components of the lithography machine with two wavelengths of 193 nm and 13.5 nm, and overcome a number of core technical problems, which is expected to break the technical blockade of China's chip industry by foreign countries. This breakthrough will have a major impact on international chip giants including ASML in the Netherlands, Intel and TSMC in the United States, and is expected to break their long-standing technological monopoly in the field of chip manufacturing.
China has made breakthroughs in the key technology of lithography machines
According to reports, Chinese scientists have made breakthroughs in independent research and development in the field of extreme ultraviolet lithography machines. They have developed the key components of lithography machines with two wavelengths of 193 nm and 13.5 nm, and have achieved major breakthroughs in light sources, optical projection systems, precision classes and other links. This marks that China has finally overcome a number of core technical problems in this key chip manufacturing equipment field, which has been monopolized by foreign countries for a long time.
The lithography machine is the key equipment for manufacturing chips, and its performance directly determines the process level of the chip. Currently, the manufacture of advanced chips at 7nm and below requires the use of extreme ultraviolet lithography machines. However, due to the extremely high technical barriers of extreme ultraviolet lithography machine, it has been monopolized by a few foreign companies for a long time. China's breakthrough in this bottleneck means that it is expected to manufacture advanced chips independently in the future and get rid of the situation of passive dependence on imports.
The impact on the international chip giants
This breakthrough will have a significant impact on international chip giants, including ASML in the Netherlands, Intel in the United States and TSMC. In the past, they dominated the global chip industry by virtue of their monopoly on lithography machine technology. China's breakthrough in this bottleneck means that it may break their technological monopoly in the future and reshape the global chip industry pattern.
Take ASML, for example, the Netherlands-based company has long monopolized the manufacturing technology of extreme ultraviolet lithography machines and is a core supplier to global chip manufacturers. Once China is able to produce its own lithography machines, ASML's position in the Chinese market will be severely impacted. Companies such as Intel and TSMC are also at risk of being replaced.
China's breakthrough in lithography machine technology will also accelerate the pace of development of the domestic chip industry. At present, China's chip self-sufficiency rate is less than 20%, and high-end chips rely heavily on imports. Once it can independently produce key equipment such as lithography machines, China's chip industry is expected to usher in rapid development and improve self-sufficiency.
The scientific and technological rivalry between China and the United States has intensified
This breakthrough will undoubtedly further intensify the struggle between China and the United States in the field of science and technology. Some countries in Europe and the United States have expressed concern about China's progress, believing that it will intensify the technological confrontation between China and the United States and threaten their dominance in the chip industry.
In recent years, the United States has imposed a series of severe sanctions on Chinese technology companies, including restrictions on the export of chip-related technology. This is widely seen as an attempt by the United States to contain China's technological development and maintain its own technological hegemony.
However, the Chinese side stressed that this technological progress is purely independent innovation, aimed at developing its own industry, and is not aimed at any country. China has the right and responsibility to ensure its own industrial security and safeguard its national interests. The development of science and technology should be open, inclusive, mutually beneficial, and should not be weaponized by any party.
China's major breakthrough in the field of extreme ultraviolet lithography machine marks a new height in mainland chip manufacturing technology, which is expected to break the long-term technological monopoly of foreign companies. This will certainly have a far-reaching impact on the global chip industry pattern and intensify the competition and wrestling between China and the United States in the field of science and technology.
However, scientific and technological innovation should be open, inclusive, and mutually beneficial. Neither side should weaponize science and technology, and mutual sanctions will only hinder the pace of scientific and technological progress for all mankind. Although China's breakthrough will impact the monopoly position of foreign companies in the field of chips, its essence is independent innovation, aiming to develop its own industry, and it is not aimed at any country. We should look at this progress with an open and inclusive mindset and work together to promote global scientific and technological innovation for the benefit of all mankind.