CNC Machining and CNC Machine Tools

The Netherlands can sell lithography machines to China again, without a US license! What do you mean?

OEM service precision parts of CNC business

On October 14, local time, Roger Dassen, the chief financial officer of ASML, a semiconductor giant and a global lithography machine leader, made a statement on the issue of exporting lithography machines to China. He said that ASML can export DUV (deep ultraviolet) lithography machines from the Netherlands to China without a US license. OEM service precision parts of CNC business

On the same day, ASML released its financial report for the third quarter of 2020, and Darson also accepted a video interview. When asked about the impact of the US semiconductor export ban on ASML’s business, Darson responded that they had noticed the US ban and also realized the impact of the ban on Chinese customers.

Then Dassen explained the issue of ASML’s lithography machine export. He said: “If you want to explain the impact of the US regulations on ASML, for Chinese customers, we can still export DUV lithography to them directly from the Netherlands. Machine without any export license.” OEM service precision parts of CNC business

But he later added that if the relevant systems or parts are exported from the United States, these devices still need to be licensed by the United States.

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Interview video screenshot

Darson said that ASML will do its best to continue to provide services and support for all customers as much as possible.

According to the public earnings call recording, ASML CEO Peter Wennink also confirmed this at the meeting. Wernicke stated that under current US regulations, DUV lithography machines exported directly from the Netherlands to China will not be affected. OEM service precision parts of CNC business

However, both Dassen and Wernicke emphasized the export of DUV lithography machines, and did not mention more advanced EUV (extreme ultraviolet) lithography machines. Bloomberg also emphasized in a report on the 14th that DUV rules do not apply to EUV lithography machines. ASML must obtain a license to export EUV lithography machines to Chinese companies. However, the Dutch government has suspended the EUV lithography machine export license, and has not approved it until now.

What is the difference between DUV lithography machine and EUV lithography machine?

The difference between low-end and high-end.

EUV lithography machine is the key equipment to realize 7nm. If mainland China cannot introduce ASML’s EUV lithography machine, it means that the mainland will stop at the 7nm process.

Currently SMIC has ordered an EUV. The price is expensive, but it’s not the only reason to buy one, but it’s too much, and now it’s really not available.

There is a Ph.D. analysis of microelectronics, this one is still focusing on product development after two or three generations of technology nodes (14nm ->10nm -> 7nm -> 5nm). EUV must be used, 5nm and below, up to 7nm, DUV is enough.

“Samsung, Intel, and TSMC are snapping up EUV because they are using it now. Both Samsung and TSMC have already begun to tackle 3nm. And SMIC, in the field of logic device, is indeed still in the second echelon, next-generation EUV is not necessary for generational R&D. DUV is completely sufficient. It requires more attention to the lithography process.”

And more importantly, ASML is the only manufacturer in the world that can mass produce EUV lithography machines.

Expensive and rare.

The price of EUV lithography machine is about 148 million euros, which is equivalent to about 1.165 billion yuan. Moreover, the output of ASML’s EUV lithography machine is also very low, and the supply is in short supply. It will inevitably give priority to its large customers, such as TSMC.

Therefore, although the news is good news, the reality may be that DUV can solve the urgent need, but the road to self-study is still to go!

OEM service precision parts of CNC business
OEM service precision parts of CNC business

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