China has grand plans to become completely self-sufficient in chip production. This requires domestic companies to build their own wafer fabrication tools. Although China has relatively successful tool manufacturers in etch and deposition, such as Advanced Micro-fabrication Equipment Inc. China (AMEC) and Naura Technology, the prominent manufacturer of lithography tools is Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment Group (SMEE) only. Perhaps that's not enough, and nowra is also looking to tap into this market, according to the South China Morning Post.
Naura Technology is already a successful manufacturer of etching and chemical vapor deposition tools. The company is currently starting initial research into developing a lithography system, the report said. This dedicated program will begin in December 2023, and as of March, the company has assembled a small group of engineers to study the lithography system. SCMP, citing sources familiar with the matter, reports that this is an area beyond the traditional etch and deposition focus.
These research and development efforts are being conducted in strict secrecy to prevent further sanctions from the United States, which views the companies as attempting to circumvent existing export controls. A Nowra representative told SCMP on Monday that the information reported was not accurate, but did not provide further details.
While there is no guarantee that Nowra's lithography research initiatives will be successful, they reflect the Chinese chip industry's determination to overcome US sanctions. The purpose of the sanctions is to limit China's advances in chip manufacturing, AI, and HPC, citing national security concerns.
according to bloomberg, After Huawei and SMIC successfully built a smartphone processor based on SMIC's second-generation 7nm-class process technology, the U.S. government ordered several Chinese semiconductor companies related to Huawei Technologies to become entities. I'm considering adding it to the list. Potential targets include SiCarrier, a government-backed chip tool maker that works with Huawei and has patents related to quadruple patterning.
G. Dan Hutchison, vice chairman of US-based IC research firm TechInsights, said China's SAQP investigation would likely involve companies such as Nowra and SMEE. SMEE is China's most successful lithography tool manufacturer and has developed a 28nm capable scanner. Hutcheson said SiCarrier's technology replaces optical lithography steps with etching and deposition steps, reducing reliance on advanced lithography tools manufactured by ASML. This gives Chinese companies the opportunity to produce chips on advanced nodes without using the latest machines from American, European or Japanese companies.
