SMIC is testing a domestically manufactured immersion DUV lithography tool, reports the FT.

The machine is made by Yuliangsheng of Shanghai, a government-backed start-up which employs many former Huawei engineers.

It is expected to be at least two years before the machine is used to make ICs.

Yuliangsheng is a subsidiary of Si Carrier of Shenzhen (pictured) which is said to be IMG_1216-150x150.webpdeveloping an EUV machine in a project internally dubbed ‘Mount Everest’.

China has another developer of DUV machines – Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment (SMEE) – which has been developing an 193nm ArF immersion DUV system that is capable of 28nm production which, with multi-patterning, could deliver a 7nm process.

Apart from machines from SMEE and Yuliangsheng, China has a number of ASML DUV machines bought before US restrictions banned their sale to China.

By: DocMemory
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