Monday, March 31st 2025
Russia Unveils Domestic 350 nm Lithography System Amid Sanctions
Russian and Belarusian semiconductor manufacturers have achieved a significant milestone in domestic chip production capabilities. In collaboration with Belarus-based Planar, the Zelenograd Nanotechnology Center (ZNTC) has developed a new lithography system supporting 350 nm process technology for 8-inch (200 mm) silicon wafers. This development represents a strategic response to Western sanctions severely restricting Russia's access to advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment. The system employs solid-state laser technology to project circuit patterns onto photoresist-coated wafers through a photomask that defines the circuitry. After selective exposure, the photoresist undergoes chemical processing to build circuit structures. While the 350 nm node marks a critical capability for domestic semiconductor production, it sits almost three decades behind leading-edge fabrication processes in high-performance computing applications.
This technology is comparable to what powered Intel's Pentium II processors in the late 1990s. Despite this technological gap, the equipment will enable the production of various electronic components suitable for consumer electronics and certain specialized military applications where bleeding-edge performance isn't required. ZNTC has already outlined plans to develop a more advanced 130 nm lithography system by 2026 as part of a government-backed initiative to incrementally enhance domestic semiconductor capabilities. While unable to match the 3-5 nm processes currently deployed by global semiconductor leaders, this lithography system establishes a foundation for domestic chip manufacturing infrastructure, especially in the category of mature nodes. The success of this intermediate solution will likely influence government funding priorities as the country attempts to narrow the technological gap with Western semiconductor capabilities in the coming years.
Source:
Tom's Hardware
This technology is comparable to what powered Intel's Pentium II processors in the late 1990s. Despite this technological gap, the equipment will enable the production of various electronic components suitable for consumer electronics and certain specialized military applications where bleeding-edge performance isn't required. ZNTC has already outlined plans to develop a more advanced 130 nm lithography system by 2026 as part of a government-backed initiative to incrementally enhance domestic semiconductor capabilities. While unable to match the 3-5 nm processes currently deployed by global semiconductor leaders, this lithography system establishes a foundation for domestic chip manufacturing infrastructure, especially in the category of mature nodes. The success of this intermediate solution will likely influence government funding priorities as the country attempts to narrow the technological gap with Western semiconductor capabilities in the coming years.
26 Comments on Russia Unveils Domestic 350 nm Lithography System Amid Sanctions
Not everything has to be manufactured at the latest tech.
remember TTL IC chips? (7400 series (e.g., 7400, 7402, 7404, 7408, 7410, 7411, 7432, 7474, 7486, 74LS00, 74LS02, etc.)
i do back in college (’89) … but you can not buy them any more!… (i believe you use programmable logic arrays… now)
Russian inventiveness to the rescue!
Managing an ancient lithography is an achievement in itself in this case. Understaffed, undersponsored, undermotivated, and, most importantly, ran under super chaotic management and still producing something that works. Will be real good news if there won't be any downgrade.
I only link where i bought from. They do not sell to private customers anymore - only to old customers or companies.
at.rs-online.com/web/p/logikgatter/3685569?gb=s
Can you please specify which sort of driver family for those 7400 chips? Not sure how to name it
i thought about e.g. www.ti.com/product/CD74HCT00/part-details/CD74HCT00E
sorry - looked up german - I think i bought and used ACT in the past
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/74xx
But I don't think this is the only reason Russia doesn't have better manufacturing. Probably the leadership wasn't understanding the importance of new tech, maybe if they asked in the past how much money they would need to invest and keep investing as a country into chip manufacturing, to make something competitive, or at least not a decade old, they got scared by the cost they heard. So they probably thought that throwing that money on military industry, was making more sense. And I can understand them. China and US are two competing forces. Russia can always expect to have the option to side with one of them and get all the technology they want.I doubt on a platform like a fighting jet, that suck so much fuel to be able to fly at high speeds, 20-50 more watts from the electronics will have a significant impact.
On the topic - for the things these chips are intended for the extremely dated node is more than fine. It’s not meant for any kind of cutting edge product.
I already spilled a mouthful of politics. No need to go deeper.
It may also have to do with radiation hardening, or ability to source or set up new supply in times of war. Or they got a sweet deal IDK
Congrats Russia, welcome to mid
1980's1990's level tech. Have fun!!That's for sure! I mean, they'll be able to run DOS and Windows 3.1 like a1980's1990's geek! :laugh:EDIT: Correct dates. Another comment reminded me that 350nm lith was early 90's not 80's.
I hope the company goes bankrupt soon as the insanity stops and trade is permitted again.
They can work on it and produce finer tools with current tools
Then produce even more finer tools
There is no short cuts here.
Even tho I don't like RU politically
This time around I believe them actually did it.
There is no short cut and they will eventually hit some roadblocks on raw materials / chemical supply and metallurgy.
On the other hand
China always claim they broke through this or broke through that in chip making market
But looking at their current portfolio they heavily rely on old ASML machines before sanction
These machines will eventually goes out of service, and China might not have the fundamentals setups like what RU did here.....
What about manufacturing? Could they be complex enough to run assembly line machinery?
I came from the electronics field. You can make so many stuff on that manufacturing process which is still useful. And needed for many devices.
So many devices have wasted stuff in them in the form of a microchip pic microcontroller. I assume that process is needed for any semiconductor. And we use a lot of these. I also wonder if those high current electronics are even manufactured in such high end nodes like tsmc uses it.
I wish we had less bullshit devices and more devices as in the 80ies which had less electronics. who needs touch panel and digital clock on a kitchen electric stove.