An EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) lithography machine cannot be b
An EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) lithography machine cannot be built simply by “buying” scientists or engineers, and China has not yet succeeded in producing a commercial-level EUV machine. EUV is not just a single machine but an entire industrial ecosystem that took 25–30 years to develop. It requires thousands of scientists, engineers, suppliers, and ultra-precision factories. ASML (Netherlands) acts as the system integrator, but it is not alone—companies such as Zeiss (Germany) for atomic-level mirrors, Trumpf (Germany) for high-power CO₂ lasers, and Cymer (USA) for the EUV light source are all essential contributors. This knowledge does not exist in the mind of any single scientist; it is distributed across a global supply chain.
Recognizing that EUV is a critical future technology, China has aggressively hired foreign scientists and engineers over the past several years by offering high salaries, advanced laboratories, and strong funding. Universities and state-backed institutes are conducting EUV research, and experimental prototypes have been developed. However, there is a major gap between a research prototype and a commercial EUV machine. A commercial EUV system must operate 24×7 in a semiconductor fab for years without failure, where even nanometer-scale vibrations or tiny temperature changes can destroy an entire batch of chips.
The biggest bottleneck in EUV technology is the mirrors. EUV light cannot be focused using glass lenses; instead, it must be reflected using multi-layer mirrors whose surface smoothness is less than a single atom. Zeiss developed this capability through decades of trial-and-error, proprietary equipment, and ultra-clean manufacturing facilities. Despite having talented scientists, China currently lacks this level of mirror manufacturing, metrology, and quality control. This is why the most critical component of EUV remains out of reach for China.
In addition, an EUV machine contains more than 50,000 components, including ultra-high-vacuum systems, plasma-based light sources, earthquake-level vibration isolation, and extremely complex software control. Each subsystem depends on the specialized expertise of different countries and companies. Hiring scientists can provide ideas, but such a deeply integrated supply chain, trust network, and manufacturing culture cannot be copied quickly.
The ground reality is that China is seriously attempting to develop EUV technology, but it is still approximately 10–15 years behind a commercial, high-yield EUV machine. “Buying” scientists is only a small part of the strategy; the real challenge lies in decades of accumulated industrial know-how, precision manufacturing, and a mature global ecosystem. For now, ASML and its partners maintain a clear monopoly in EUV lithography.
https://youtu.be/B2482h_TNwg?si=1rllcwgXFGdy3nmG
Comments
Well said!