Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment (Group) Co., Ltd.
Native name
上海微电子装备 (集团)股份有限公司
TypePublic
IndustrySemiconductors
Founded2002
HeadquartersShanghai, China
Websitehttp://www.smee.com.cn

Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment (Group) Co., Ltd. (SMEE), is a manufacturer of semiconductor manufacturing equipment based in Shanghai, China. The company is involved in the research, development, manufacture and sale of lithography scanners (including DUV immersion lithography scanners) and inspection tools to the semiconductor manufacturing industry; it also provides support services for its machines to its customers.

Product history

Prior to 2023, SMEE's most advanced product was the SSA600, which has a scanning resolution that is capable of fabricating 90 nm-process class integrated circuit silicon chips. The SSA600 series machines has been described by observers as an immersion deep ultraviolet lithography tool which features an argon fluoride (ArF) excimer laser emitting coherent ultraviolet light at a wavelength of 193 nm.[1]

In December 2023, western media reported that SMEE has completed the initial development of its new SSA800-10W immersion lithography machine which has a scanning resolution capable of fabricating 28 nm-process class chips. Instances of the new machine may have been delivered to manufacturers such as SMIC and to research institutes.[2][3] SSA800 continues to use ArF laser as its light source but also includes better tools and components which enable manufacturers to fashion circuit features associated with 28 nm-process technology.[1] It is unclear at this point if SSA800, or a future refinement of the machine, can be employed on processes below 28 nm. Generally, photolithography techniques developed in the field of multiple patterning allow immersion lithography machines using an ArF laser light source to fashion integrated circuits features associated with technologies as advanced as 7 nm-processes; for example, in 2016, media reports implied that Intel's then new 10 nm-process employed immersion DUV machines in combination with self-aligned double patterning techniques to achieve the desired circuit feature size, rather than using the more advanced EUV photolithography technology.[4] Western media also reported that SSA800 is designed so that none of its components include intellectual properties that originate in the United States .[1] SMEE's SSA800 machine lags photolithography industry leader ASML Holding in time: ASML first delivered 28 nm-capable machines to TSMC in 2011.[1]

SMEE's SSA800 scanners apparently will be followed up by the even more advanced SSA900, with a resolution of 22 nm.[5] It is not known if SMEE will embark upon the development of an EUV lithography scanner currently produced only by Netherland's ASML, though there are rumors that a consortium of other Chinese entities, including the Chinese Academy of Sciences, will deliever a prototype Chinese EUV machine in the relative near future.[6]

United States sanctions

In December 2022, as part of the United States' effort to impede Chinese development of advanced semiconductor equipment, the United States Department of Commerce added SMEE to the Bureau of Industry and Security's Entity List.[7][8]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Shilov, Anton (6 December 2020). "China's 28nm-Capable Chip Fabbing Tool on Track Amid Trade War". Toms Hardware. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  2. ↑ Wu, Debby; Zheng, Sarah (20 December 2023). "Chinese Chip Gear Leader Achieves Key Breakthrough, Backer Says". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  3. ↑ Shilov, Anton (5 October 2023). "China's First 28nm Lithography Tool to be Delivered This Year". Toms Hardware. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  4. ↑ Lapedus, Mark (22 August 2016). "Deeper inside Intel". Semiconductor Engineering. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  5. ↑ "ASML's Current Battleground Now In China On Several Fronts (NASDAQ:ASML)". Seeking Alpha. 16 February 2022. Retrieved 2022-05-13.
  6. ↑ "Chinese semiconductor industry thread, post#31472". sinodefenceforum.com. 4 January 2024. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  7. ↑ Alper, Alexandra (2022-12-15). "Biden blacklists China's YMTC, crackdowns on AI chip sector". Reuters. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
  8. ↑ Shilov, Anton (20 December 2023). "Chinese company claims chipmaking tool breakthrough - announces 28nm-capable litho tool". Toms Hardware. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.