In the fierce competition in the chip industry, the lithography machine is undoubtedly one of the most critical weapons. For a long time, China's semiconductor industry has been facing the dilemma of "lack of core and soul", the most difficult of which is the dependence on high-end lithography machines. However, with the recent official release of Yuecheng District, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province, the development of domestic lithography machines seems to have ushered in a ray of light.
This news is like a bombshell, which has attracted widespread attention in the semiconductor circle. It is reported that a company named Shanghai Tushuang will invest 5 billion yuan in Yuecheng District to build a lithography machine factory, which is expected to be completed in two phases, and eventually achieve the goal of producing 100 semiconductor equipment per year. This news has undoubtedly injected a boost into the domestic semiconductor industry, allowing people to see the hope of breaking through the technological blockade and achieving independent controllability.
However, while we rejoice, we also need to take a sober look at the substance behind this news. Shanghai Tushuang's main business is the refurbishment and commissioning of semiconductor equipment, rather than the development and production of new lithography machines from scratch. This means that the so-called "domestic lithography machine" is actually transformed and optimized on the basis of existing equipment abroad. Although this method can alleviate the demand for lithography machines from domestic enterprises in the short term, it cannot fundamentally solve the problem of technology dependence in the long run.
We can't help but ask: can this "semi-domestic" lithography machine really meet the needs of domestic chip manufacturing enterprises? Can the modified equipment perform at the original level? More importantly, will this approach help us accumulate real core technologies? These questions are worth pondering.
In fact, the development of lithography machine technology is a long and arduous process. In the case of the Dutch company ASML, it took decades and huge investments to finally become the leader in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines. In contrast, China started late in this field and has relatively weak technology accumulation. Therefore, while we applaud enterprises like Shanghai Tushuang, we must also realize that there is still a long way to go to catch up with the world's advanced level.
Nevertheless, we should not underestimate the significance of this development. In the current complex international situation, any measures that can reduce dependence on foreign countries and enhance the ability of independence and control are worthy of recognition. Shanghai Tushuang's approach can be seen as a transitional strategy that can meet current needs to a certain extent and accumulate experience for future technological breakthroughs.
What's more, it provides us with a rare learning opportunity. Through the dismantling, transformation and optimization of foreign advanced equipment, we can have an in-depth understanding of its working principle and core technology, and lay the foundation for future independent research and development. As the experience of many other fields has shown, "take-it-or-leave-it" is often the first step in technological catch-up, and true innovation needs to continue to break through and surpass on this basis.
Of course, we must also be soberly aware of the potential risks of this approach. Once the United States and other countries further tighten technology export restrictions and include these "semi-finished" equipment, we may face the dilemma of having no equipment available. Therefore, while promoting this transformation strategy, we must increase investment and support for original technologies.
In fact, China's investment in semiconductors has increased significantly in recent years. According to statistics, the scale of investment in China's integrated circuit industry will reach 250 billion yuan in 2020, a year-on-year increase of more than 30%. The establishment of the National Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund (Big Fund) has provided strong financial support for the development of the industry. These measures have created favorable conditions for us to achieve breakthroughs in core technology fields such as lithography machines.
At the same time, we must also realize that technological innovation requires not only capital investment, but also long-term talent training and scientific research accumulation. China still has a long way to go in this regard. We need to build a better talent training system to attract and retain top scientific talent, and at the same time, we need to create a social atmosphere that encourages innovation and tolerates failure. Only in this way will we be able to occupy an advantageous position in the technological competition of the future.
Returning to the case of Shanghai Tushuang, although it may not be the most ideal solution, it undoubtedly provides us with a new way of thinking. While pursuing complete autonomy and control, we can also alleviate the current dilemma through this flexible way. More importantly, it demonstrates the innovative spirit and adaptability of Chinese companies in the face of challenges.
Looking ahead, the development path of China's semiconductor industry is still full of challenges. We need to face up to the gap and maintain faith. We must not only be good at learning and learning from others, but also have the courage to innovate and make breakthroughs. Shanghai's attempt may be just the beginning, but it represents the determination and wisdom of China's semiconductor industry to seek breakthroughs in a difficult environment.
In this process, the government, enterprises and scientific research institutions need to work together to form a synergy. The government should continue to increase policy support and capital investment to create a good development environment for enterprises; Enterprises should have the courage to take risks, increase R&D investment, and cultivate and attract talents; Scientific research institutions should strengthen basic research and provide theoretical support and technical reserves for industrial development.
At the same time, we must maintain an open and cooperative attitude. In today's globalized world, technological innovation is no longer a one-man game. Even in the face of technological blockade, we must seek exchanges and cooperation with international counterparts, learn through cooperation, and progress in competition.
Overall, the case of Shanghai Tushuang gives us hope and reminds us that there is still a long way to go. The road of domestic lithography machine may be tortuous, but as long as we persevere, we will be able to achieve a breakthrough. As the old saying goes: "If you don't accumulate steps, you can't reach thousands of miles; If you don't accumulate small streams, you can't become rivers and seas. "Every attempt, every progress, paves the way for our ultimate goal.
Let's look forward to more companies like Shanghai Tushuang to be brave in innovation, and also look forward to more substantial technological breakthroughs. I believe that in the near future, we will definitely be able to see the advent of a truly independent and controllable domestic lithography machine, injecting strong impetus into the development of China's semiconductor industry.