Russia First 350nm Lithography Machine Ready for Production
Recently, the Zelenograd Nanotechnology Center in Moscow announced the completion of Russia's first domestically developed 350nm lithography machine, marking a significant milestone in the country's semiconductor industry. The center has now prepared for mass production of the 350nm system and is actively developing a 130nm lithography machine under a second national contract, with completion expected by 2026.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin highlighted that Russian lithography systems differ significantly from their foreign counterparts. Notably, Russia's technology utilizes a solid-state laser as the light source, offering higher power efficiency, longer lifespan, and a narrower spectral range.
Lithography is a critical process in semiconductor manufacturing, enabling the precise transfer of circuit patterns from a photomask onto a silicon wafer. This step is essential for subsequent etching and deposition processes that build complex microchips. As the core technology in chip production, lithography machines determine the feasibility and technological capabilities of semiconductor fabrication facilities.
There are two primary types of lithography systems: Deep Ultraviolet (DUV) and Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV). These technologies differ in their light sources and wavelengths, which directly influence the resolution and complexity of the microstructures they can create. DUV lithography employs excimer lasers, such as KrF (248nm) and ArF (193nm), while EUV lithography utilizes a laser-produced plasma (LPP) system, where CO₂ lasers generate 13.5nm extreme ultraviolet light by vaporizing tin droplets.
Unlike conventional DUV and EUV lithography machines that rely on gas lasers, Russia's new system is built around a solid-state laser. This technology offers superior optical conversion efficiency, reaching up to 20-30%, compared to the 10-15% efficiency of CO₂-based gas lasers. Solid-state lasers use doped crystalline or glass materials as the gain medium, efficiently converting external energy sources into high-intensity, focused laser beams.
As Mayor Sobyanin emphasized, fewer than ten countries worldwide possess the capability to develop lithography machines. This group includes the Netherlands, Japan, the United States, China, and Russia. The Netherlands-based ASML remains the global leader, being the only company capable of mass-producing EUV lithography systems for sub-7nm chip fabrication. Other nations, including Russia, have focused on advancing DUV technology, with most currently limited to 28nm and above.
Russia operates a limited number of semiconductor fabrication plants using imported DUV equipment. One of its key players, Mikron, based in Zelenograd, has the capability to produce 90nm chips in high volumes. In 2020, Mikron qualified for 65nm process technology, though its production capacity remains uncertain.
Russia has set ambitious goals for semiconductor self-sufficiency, aiming to achieve local 28nm chip production by 2027 and 14nm manufacturing by 2030. In October 2024, reports indicated that Russia allocated over 240 billion rubles ($2.54 billion) to support a large-scale initiative aimed at replacing foreign semiconductor manufacturing equipment by 2030. This initiative includes launching 110 research and development projects to reduce dependence on imported wafer fabrication technologies.
