Regarding the ban on EUV lithography machines, Korean companies cleverly broke it, and the means of 10 years ago reappeared!
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Abstract:Korean enterprises have broken the blockade of EUV lithography machines with one blow, and the tricks of the past ten years have reappeared again!
Extreme ultraviolet lithography machine is the core equipment of the world's high-end integrated circuit production and plays an extremely important role. But with the blockade of EUV lithography in the United States, the semiconductor industry of the whole world has been hit by a huge impact. The ban is not just targeted at Dutch ASML, but also downstream chip makers such as Samsung, SK hynix (SK) and TSMC, which are struggling with production. In this case, the South Korean company has come up with a new way, that is, to break through this "prohibition order" with the old method of ten years.
First, it's important to understand the underlying reasons why EUV lithography is banned. The U.S. move aims to curb China's development in the semiconductor industry by controlling core equipment, which in turn poses a threat to China's chip industry around the world. But the ban has not worked as well as it should, instead, China has accelerated its own research and development in an attempt to break the blockade of Chinese technology.
South Korean companies have shown a lot of flexibility in the face of this ban. Take SK hynix, for example, which has adopted a very clever approach to circumventing this ban. SK hynix also has a chip factory in the mainland, and without advanced lithography machines, the output will definitely be greatly reduced, so SK hynix has also announced a three-step plan, the first step is to establish a basic manufacturing base in China. Subsequently, the wafers are shipped to South Korea for the production of the EUV process; The parts are then sent back to their factories in China for final packaging.
Doing so will increase the company's manufacturing expenses, but because the fourth-generation aircraft are more expensive, the increased costs can be fully recovered, and it will also bring considerable benefits to the company. More importantly, this move not only broke the blockade of EUV lithography machines, but also brought new ideas to other manufacturers, which can be described as a reproduction of the method used by SK hynix to create a new chip ten years ago.
The ban on extreme ultraviolet lithography machines, in the long run, will have a profound impact on the semiconductor industry of the entire world. First of all, this ban will accelerate the process of regional development of the entire semiconductor industry. With the expansion of the world, a new development trend will emerge in the structure of the integrated circuit industry in the world. Second, the ban will prompt China to accelerate the pace of independent development in the semiconductor industry. China will continue to strengthen investment in the research and development of the semiconductor industry, accelerate the achievement of new scientific and technological achievements, and improve China's industrial competitiveness. This will help China improve its competitiveness around the world, while gradually reducing its dependence on foreign technology and equipment.
However, the ban on extreme ultraviolet lithography machines should also be taken seriously. With the development of economic globalization and international economic integration, the control of core equipment in a certain country or region will cause the industrial chain to break down worldwide. This will lead to the obstruction of technical exchanges, uneven distribution of resources, and market segmentation, which will have a negative impact on the development of the semiconductor industry worldwide. To this end, all countries in the world should not only strengthen their scientific and technological independence, but also pay attention to maintaining the stability and cooperation of the world industrial chain.
On the enterprise side, under the EUV blockade and other related technological constraints, they should take the initiative to adjust their strategies and manufacturing methods. First of all, enterprises need to communicate and collaborate with industrial institutions to deal with "technological barriers". Second, it is necessary to strengthen investment in scientific research and development, improve self-reliance in science and technology, and actively look for alternative science and technology and equipment; At the same time, enterprises should pay close attention to the dynamics of the international industrial chain around the world, and optimize their products and chain strategies in a timely manner to ensure their competitiveness in the world.
In general, the promulgation of EUV lithography machines has had a great impact on the semiconductor industry all over the world, and has also had a great impact on the entire industry. But at the same time, it also promotes the development of the country and enterprises. In this context, all countries in the world should further cooperate and communicate to maintain the stability and development of the world's industrial chain. Therefore, in the face of the technology blockade, enterprises must be flexible and adapt to the impact of the technology blockade through innovation and strategic restructuring. Only in this way can we promote the continuous development and progress of the world's semiconductor industry.