Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment

SMEE, Chinese lithography machhine manufacturer

Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment (Group) Co., Ltd.

Native name	上海微电子装备 (集团)股份有限公司
Company type	Private (part government-backed)
Industry	Semiconductors
Founded	2002
Founder	He Rongming
Headquarters	Shanghai, China
Key people	Gan Pin (Chairman)
Owner	SASAC (32%)^[1]
Website	www.smee.com.cn

Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment (Group) Co., Ltd. (SMEE), is a semiconductor manufacturing equipment company based in Shanghai, China. The company is involved in the research, development, manufacture and sale of lithography scanners and inspection tools to the semiconductor manufacturing industry; it also provides support services to its customers.

Company history

SMEE was established in 2002 by He Rongming, a former vice president at Shanghai Electric. It was originally a lithography machine technology research project under the 863 Program. After a few years of research, SMEE rolled out the first domestically made lithography machine for commercial use.^[1]^[2]

In December 2017, SMEE signed a contract with CSC Financial to prepare it to become a public company. During the process, SMEE acquired funding from investors such as China Everbright Limited. There was a change in the management team afterwards leading He to leave SMEE in early 2018.^[2]

Product history

Prior to 2023, SMEE's most advanced product for manufacturing front-end semiconductor chips was the SSA600, which has a scanning resolution that is capable of fabricating 90 nm-class integrated circuit silicon chips. The SSA600 series machines has been described by observers as an immersion deep ultraviolet lithography tool which features an argon fluoride (ArF) excimer laser emitting coherent ultraviolet light at a wavelength of 193 nm.^[3]

SSA800x (December 2023)

In December 2023, western media reported that SMEE has completed the initial development of its new SSA800-10W immersion lithography machine which has a scanning resolution capable of fabricating 28 nm-process class chips. Instances of the new machine may have been delivered to manufacturers such as SMIC and to research institutes.^[4]^[5] SSA800 continues to use ArF laser as its light source but also includes better tools and components which enable manufacturers to fashion circuit features associated with 28 nm-process technology.^[3] Western media reported that SSA800 is designed so that none of its components include intellectual properties that originate in the United States .^[3] Some analysts suggest that it is likely the Chinese government had asked SMEE to benchmark its new 28 nm-capable DUV immersion system against the similar ASML NXT:2000i system and that SSA800 is part of a fully domestic production line which is currently undergoing test production and certification.^[6] As of early 2024, SMEE's website does not yet include the new SSA800 lithography machine in its product list section.

In the future, a version of the SSA800 may be employed on processes below the 28 nm node via multi-patterning; generally, photolithography techniques developed in the field of multiple patterning allow immersion lithography machines using an ArF laser light source to fashion integrated circuits features associated with technologies as advanced as 7 nm or even 5 nm processes. For example, in 2016, media reports implied that Intel's then new 10 nm-process employed immersion DUV machines in combination with self-aligned double patterning techniques to achieve the desired circuit feature size, rather than using the more advanced EUV photolithography technology.^[7]

SMEE's SSA800 machine lags photolithography industry leader ASML Holding in time: ASML first delivered 28 nm-capable machines to TSMC in 2011.^[3]

Pre-2023 product mix

Prior to the introduction of the SSA800 scanner series in 2023, SMEE had developed a range of lithography, metrology, and derivative equipment, including four series of machines for the manufacture of front-end integrated circuits (such as the SSA600 series scanners), back-end IC packaging, LEDs, MEMS, IC power devices, and TFTs.^[2]

Future developments

It is not known if SMEE will embark upon the development of an EUV lithography scanner currently produced only by Netherland's ASML; however, some observers suggest that there may be up to three separate current efforts within China, involving private, state, and educational institutions other than SMEE, to develop and deliver a prototype Chinese EUV lithography scanner in the next few years.^[6]

United States sanctions

In December 2022, as part of the United States' effort to impede Chinese development of advanced semiconductor equipment, the United States Department of Commerce added SMEE to the Bureau of Industry and Security's Entity List.^[8]^[9]

References

^ ^a ^b "Chinese chipmaking equipment manufacturers filling void left by U.S. export restrictions". Reuters.
^ ^a ^b ^c Platonov, Ivan (23 June 2021). "Deep Dive: SMEE and China's Attempt to Replace ASML Tools". EqualOcean. Retrieved 2024-03-14.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Shilov, Anton (6 December 2020). "China's 28nm-Capable Chip Fabbing Tool on Track Amid Trade War". Toms Hardware. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
^ Wu, Debby; Zheng, Sarah (20 December 2023). "Chinese Chip Gear Leader Achieves Key Breakthrough, Backer Says". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
^ Shilov, Anton (5 October 2023). "China's First 28nm Lithography Tool to be Delivered This Year". Toms Hardware. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
^ ^a ^b Triolo, Paul (20 February 2024). "A New Era for the Chinese Semiconductor Industry: Beijing Responds to Export Controls". American Affairs. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
^ Lapedus, Mark (22 August 2016). "Deeper inside Intel". Semiconductor Engineering. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
^ Alper, Alexandra (2022-12-15). "Biden blacklists China's YMTC, crackdowns on AI chip sector". Reuters. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
^ Shilov, Anton (20 December 2023). "Chinese company claims chipmaking tool breakthrough - announces 28nm-capable litho tool". Toms Hardware. Retrieved 20 December 2023.