This article was reprinted with permission from Superpower.com.
Why is the silicon-based semiconductor industry able to grow? Because silicon is one of the most cost-saving semiconductor materials on Earth, and sand contains a lot of silicon. Even the promos produced by Intel are called 'from sand to chips'. However, on the other hand, the semiconductor industry is one of the most high-end industries in the global manufacturing industry. It is also an industry that China is trying to break through. In the “Made in China 2025” technology roadmap, it lists a number of semiconductor processes that need to be overcome. Note the EUV lithography machine and the 18-inch wafer industry.
In the semiconductor industry's three major industries of design, manufacturing, and packaging and testing, Chinese companies need to master more new technologies. The technology roadmap for “Made in China 2025” lists a number of industrial technologies, including HKMG metal gate technology. , FinFET process, multiple exposure, 193nm photoresist, photomask and various advanced packaging technologies, but in terms of major equipment and fitting materials, there are the following technical content:
In the four aspects of manufacturing equipment, lithography machines, manufacturing materials and packaging equipment and materials, among the listed 20-14nm process equipment, immersive lithography machines, and 20-14nm process materials, there are currently technical forces in the country. Research, do not need to 2025, domestic 14nm process on energy production, related materials industry will also have a breakthrough.
Of these technologies, the most sophisticated ones are mainly EUV lithography machines, 18-inch devices and silicon chips (TSV package, but this one is also said). I am sensitive to this because neither of these two technologies are It is easy, they are all challenging new generation technologies and processes in the semiconductor industry. It is difficult for China to challenge these technologies.
In terms of the EUV lithography machine, the Changchun Institute of Opto-Electronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences led the development of the National Science and Technology Major Project No. 02 - 'Key Technology Research in Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography'. Accepted in 2016, although this is only a technical pre-research. EUV lithography machine is still far away, but at least shows that there is still a team in the development of the country.
As for the other 18-inch wafers, that is, the 450mm wafers, which was also very popular internationally in previous years, ITRS (International Semiconductor Technology Roadmap Alliance) optimistically predicted that 18-inch wafers will be available in 2012 in 2003. , The result... Previously stated that Intel used 18-inch wafers in 2018, TSMC did not mention 18-inch wafers in the past few years, and technology development may still be in progress, but the future of 18-inch wafer fabs It is also unlikely to be there during the year.
We all know that the larger the wafer diameter, the larger the area. The 18-inch wafer area is 2.25 times that of a 12-inch wafer (300mm wafer). If mass production will greatly increase the chip yield, large-size silicon wafers cannot be prepared. Easily, the related fab investment is also a billion-dollar level, the risk is too high, and no company has yet seen the possibility of investing and setting up factories.
From this point of view, if the domestic can really get out of the 18-inch wafer process and equipment, it really is overtaking the road, afraid of fearing that this roadmap is so casual, do not consider the possibility of the future.
