Russia presents lithography tool with technology 350nm decades behind the competition

Russia recently completed the development of its first national lithography tool focused on chip manufacturing processes in the 350 nanometers (NM).

The equipment was created in partnership between the ZELENOGRAD NANOTECHNOLOGY CENTER (ZNTC) and the Belarussian company Planarand has already undergone official inspections, currently being in the integration phase in Zelenograd.

Despite the symbolic framework and the technological independence it represents, the project raises doubts about its commercial viability, as its design dates back to industrial standards of the 1990s.

Base for future evolutions, but limited in the present

The new ZNTC system is compatible with wafers de 200 mm and employs a solid state laser as a source of light for chip exposure. The exhibition field is 22 mm x 22 mm, equivalent to 484 mm². However, Fundamental Technical Details As the power and wavelength of the laser have not yet been disclosed.

The use of solid state laser is uncommon among the leaders of lithography equipment, such as the ASMLwhich have been using mercury lamps (i-line a 365 nm) e lasers excimer like the KrF (248 nm) e ARF (193 nm) for processes between 350 nm and 130 nm. ZNTC has not revealed whether its light source follows this pattern or if it is an alternative solution, which raises speculation about its future planes.

Despite the technological delay, the project can function as an experimental base for 130nm technologies, scheduled for 2026

In what kind of equipment can it still be useful?

Although the 350nm process is obsolete for modern standardsit still finds application in sectors such as the automotive industry, energy management e military equipmentwhere extreme miniaturization is not a requirement.

In addition, the new equipment could be used in non -critical layers production, or even in activities such as Defect Analysis, Wafers Marking e microusinagem – Papers in which solid state lasers are more common.

Outside the global rhythm (and even national)

Even the main chip manufacturers of Russia itself, such as the Micron and Angstremalready operate with more advanced production nodes, ranging from 250nm a 90nmwhich further limits the immediate applicability of the new machine.

Such manufacturers, even, continue to depend on equipment from the ASMLmainly models of the series Not 5500often imported parallel to circumvent sanctions.

Despite the delay, the machine developed by ZNTC can be seen as a first step within a Strategic Plan of the Russian Government to achieve autonomy in the manufacture of semiconductors in the future. National Roadmap provides for the arrival of the process of 90nm until the end of 2025with goals to reach 28nm Em 2027 e 14nm em 2030.

ZNTC itself already works in a more advanced model, which aims to process lithography of 130nm and is expected to be completed for 2026.

This version is expected to incorporate learning from the current machine and bring specifications more aligned with the needs of the national industry.

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First step in a still long path

Russia’s new lithography tool is an important advance in terms of technological sovereignty, but its practical usefulness is limited in the short term due to technological delay.

However, it can serve as a basis for the development of more modern tools as the country seeks to become less dependent on western technologies and circumvent international sanctions.

While Russia runs after technological damage with ambitious plans by 2030, Brazil follows without a clear strategy to enter the semiconductor race.

Fonte: ZNTC