Overview
- An article in Science and Technology Review, published online March 5, was co‑authored by SMIC co‑founder Wang Yangyuan along with leaders from Empyrean, YMTC, and Naura, plus academics from Tsinghua and Peking University.
- The authors urge a coordinated program during the 15th Five‑Year Plan to integrate component breakthroughs into operational lithography systems, with centralized funding and shared public test platforms.
- They identify three bottlenecks constraining progress: electronic design automation software, silicon wafers, and manufacturing equipment, particularly extreme ultraviolet lithography.
- ASML remains the sole commercial supplier of EUV tools, its machines comprise about 100,000 parts from 5,000 suppliers, and EUV exports to China are barred by restrictions.
- China’s latest government work report elevates semiconductors as a core industry priority and calls for stronger advanced process manufacturing plus development of key equipment, materials, and components, while mature‑node capacity remains significant and largely unrestricted.