Last Updated on by ICT BYTE
The global semiconductor industry relies heavily on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography tools to produce advanced microchips. For years, Western export restrictions have limited Chinese chipmakers from acquiring the latest EUV scanners manufactured by Dutch industry giant ASML. In response, Chinese technology firms and research institutes have accelerated efforts to build domestic alternatives across every segment of the supply chain. In a recent development, a Chinese startup named Langdao Silex showcased a prototype laser-produced plasma (LPP) EUV light source at a trade show. While the achievement highlights measurable progress in China’s domestic semiconductor supply chain, industry experts emphasize that a commercial EUV scanner remains years away from practical deployment.
Inside the Langdao Silex EUV Prototype
During a recent industry exhibition, Langdao Silex presented its prototype EUV light source, drawing significant attention from semiconductor analysts and hardware engineers. The experimental system reportedly generated an output power of approximately 15 watts (W). Perhaps most notable was the company’s claim that roughly 90 percent of the components used in the prototype were developed and produced domestically within China.
In EUV lithography, generating light at the required extreme ultraviolet spectrum is an exceptionally complex process. It involves firing high-power pulse lasers at microscopic droplets of molten tin inside a high-vacuum chamber. When hit by the laser, the tin droplets vaporize into a high-temperature plasma that emits light at a precise wavelength of 13.5 nanometers. Sustaining this chemical and physical reaction requires extreme precision, specialized thermal management systems, and ultra-high-speed timing electronics.
The Power Gap: Why 15 Watts Is Only a First Step
While producing a 15W EUV light source is a symbolic milestone for an early-stage startup, it remains far below the operational threshold required for volume chip manufacturing. Commercial EUV lithography scanners used in modern foundries operated by TSMC, Samsung, and Intel rely on light sources delivering between 250 and 500 watts of continuous output power.
Output power directly determines wafer throughput in a semiconductor fabrication facility. A light source operating at just 15 watts would result in an extremely slow wafer exposure process, making mass production economically unfeasible. Exposing a single silicon wafer at that lower power level could take hours instead of seconds, driving manufacturing costs up significantly. Scaling power output from 15W to several hundred watts presents immense technical hurdles, particularly regarding plasma stability, debris mitigation, and optic mirror degradation.
The Complex EUV Lithography Ecosystem
A light source is only one critical component of an extraordinarily complex machine. An EUV lithography scanner contains tens of thousands of specialized subsystems working together with nanometer-level precision. Even if domestic firms manage to scale an EUV light source to commercial power levels, China must still master several other high-tech bottlenecks to assemble a functional tool.
For instance, EUV light is readily absorbed by almost all matter, including standard optical glass and air. Consequently, EUV scanners rely on specialized reflective mirrors coated with alternating layers of molybdenum and silicon. Currently, foreign suppliers dominate the ultra-precise optical manufacturing required for these mirrors. Additionally, domestic chipmakers must develop advanced EUV photoresists, ultra-precise motion control stages, and advanced metrology tools before an end-to-end Chinese EUV scanner can compete on the global stage.
Sanctions and National Semiconductor Ambitions
The push to develop indigenous EUV technologies is largely driven by trade restrictions and sanctions implemented by the United States and international partners. These trade controls have effectively blocked Chinese foundries from acquiring cutting-edge EUV systems, constraining their ability to manufacture leading-edge logic chips at advanced nodes below 7nm through standard EUV processes.
These geopolitical pressures have elevated domestic chipmaking equipment development into a primary strategy. Local startups, academic institutions, and state-funded research initiatives are receiving substantial capital to solve technical challenges across the semiconductor value chain. The public demonstration by Langdao Silex shows that active engineering work is taking place, even as the ultimate target of commercial parity remains a long-term goal.
What Comes Next for Chinese Lithography?
Transitioning from an experimental trade-show prototype to a fully integrated, high-yield EUV lithography system requires extensive testing, material science advancements, and systemic refinement. Reaching technological parity with established global leaders will inevitably demand years of iteration and immense capital investments.
In the near term, Chinese foundries are expected to continue optimizing deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography techniques, such as multi-patterning, to manufacture advanced semiconductors. However, over the long term, continuous breakthroughs in EUV sub-components—such as the light source prototype demonstrated by Langdao Silex—will remain critical milestones to track as China builds its independent semiconductor ecosystem.
Conclusion
Langdao Silex’s prototype EUV light source represents an encouraging early technical step for China’s domestic semiconductor equipment industry. Nevertheless, bridging the performance gap between a 15W demonstration model and a high-throughput commercial scanner requires overcoming deep engineering obstacles. Industry observers agree that while domestic research is progressing steadily, commercial deployment of fully domestic EUV lithography tools remains a long-term objective.