Comments by "D W" (@DW-op7ly) on "Now it's official: our own semiconductor industry is in a "death spiral" after Chinese export bans" video.
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@tonysu8860
another way to look at it China has managed to make a homegrown Lithography machine albeit one that creates legacy type/level 28nm chips
Where they are using their proprietary layering/patterning technique to get down to that 7nm/5nm
So yes one could argue they are behind from a sanctioning standpoint
But from an all out war standpoint where a Country has been cut off from inputs from other countries?
I look at it as a China is ahead Because really that is the worst case scenario the USA/West is envisioning.
As that being the reason they have sanctioned/cut off China right now
That’s the biased criteria we put on China making that 100% homemade chip right down to the screws and Rare Earths required to make the lithography machines in the first place
Where ASML sources 85% of what goes into making their lithography machines from around the world
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Circumventing the Chokepoint: Can the US Produce More Rare Earths?
Oct 30, 2023
* Rare earths—which include the fifteen lanthanide series elements plus scandium and yttrium—are critical not only to energy technology like permanent magnets in electric vehicles and offshore wind turbines but also to military applications like lasers and precision-guided weapons. These elements enable defense equipment and weapons system components to function.
From 1950 to October 2018, China filed 25,911 rare earth patents, while the United States filed only 9,810. Thus, China can also restrict rare earth technology. In April 2023, for instance, Nikkei Asia reported that China was considering restricting exports of rare earth magnet technology
New Security Beat
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Applications in Semiconductor Manufacturing
Lasers and Lithography
Lasers are indispensable in semiconductor manufacturing, especially in advanced lithography. REEs like neodymium are used in Nd:YAG lasers, which are critical for UV light generation in lithography processes.
Laser Cleaning
As semiconductor components shrink, traditional cleaning methods become less effective. Lasers, particularly those using REEs, offer a solution by dislodging particles adhered to wafers through Van Der Waal forces.
Magnets and Plasma Material Processing
Permanent magnets, often made from REEs like neodymium, are used in plasma material processing systems. These systems are essential for thin film growth and patterning.
Coatings and Abrasives
REEs like yttrium oxide are used for coatings in plasma etch chambers, reducing maintenance costs. Cerium dioxide abrasives are used in the Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) process to achieve extremely flat wafer surfaces.
The Impact on Adjacent Technologies
Optoelectronics and LEDs
REEs like cerium and yttrium are vital for the production of white LEDs. These LEDs are increasingly used in various applications, from displays to therapeutics.
Silicon Photonics
In the emerging field of silicon photonics, REEs like erbium are being studied for their potential to enable silicon to emit light, thus making monolithic silicon photonics chips a possibility.
Amr Elgarony
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