Breakthroughs will help bolster tech self-reliance

China's latest technological breakthroughs in homegrown deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography machines mark a significant milestone in the country's semiconductor manufacturing equipment sector, and will help reduce its reliance on chipmaking technology from foreign counterparts, enhancing the competitiveness of the domestic semiconductor industry, experts said.

Their comments came after the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said that one of the DUV lithography machines, which operates at a wavelength of 193 nanometers with a resolution below 65 nm and an overlay accuracy below 8 nm, has been included in its guidance catalog for major technical equipment. However, the catalog did not specify which Chinese companies manufacture the DUV lithography machines.

China's first set of major technical equipment refers to equipment products that achieve important technological advancements and own intellectual property rights, but have yet to perform on the market, according to the ministry. These include complete equipment, core systems and key components.