China debuts first e-beam lithography machine for commercial use in chipmaking milestone
Lithography systems – among the most sophisticated machines ever created – are crucial for the mass production of chips, though China remains in the very early stages of developing such tools domestically.
Named Xizhi after the famed ancient Chinese calligrapher Wang Xizhi, the new machine was developed by a quantum technology lab at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou. It uses a focused electron beam to 'write' chip circuits onto silicon wafers.
'Due to
export controls , such equipment has long been out of reach for leading domestic research institutions, including the University of Science and Technology of China and Zhejiang Lab,' Hangzhou Daily, a local media outlet, reported on Thursday.
'The delivery of Xizhi is expected to help break this impasse.'
Beijing has ramped up efforts to localise advanced chip manufacturing in response to US export restrictions on hi-tech equipment, with recent progress strengthening its R&D capabilities.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Nvidia's efforts to please both US and China get harder as H20 becomes bargaining chip
On his visit to Beijing in July, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang received a rock-star welcome as he announced to Chinese state media that Washington had assured the company that export licences for its H20 chips would soon be granted. Warmly greeted by Chinese entrepreneurs and government officials, Huang – who wore a Tang suit and addressed the audience with his rusty Mandarin at the state-backed China International Supply Chain Expo – earned national fame overnight. Just two weeks after Huang concluded his third visit to China this year, the company saw its fortunes take a dramatic turn. On July 31, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said it had summoned Nvidia executives to question them about the security of its H20 chips. The powerful regulator said the inquiry was partly due to US lawmakers demanding the installation of tracking features into chips for export. That led to a back-and-forth between Nvidia defending the integrity of its chips and intensified pressure from state media for the company to demonstrate its security credentials. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang attends the opening ceremony of the China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing on July 16. Photo: Kyodo While Beijing has yet to provide evidence of any 'back doors' in Nvidia's products or issue any official ban, it has become politically sensitive for Chinese companies to procure any of the US firm's products, according to local media and industry insiders.
South China Morning Post
7 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Chinese start-up joins NetDragon-owned Cherrypicks to push AI solutions overseas
Beijing -based Zhongke WengAI, whose services are used by various Chinese ministries and state media outlets, will also jointly develop with Cherrypicks – owned by Hong Kong -listed NetDragon Websoft – enterprise AI solutions for industries such as finance and healthcare, the partners said in a statement on Friday. This collaboration 'exemplifies the convergence of China's AI 'go-global' strategy with Hong Kong's innovation strengths', said Simon Leung Lim-kin , vice-chairman at NetDragon. He also pointed out that the strategic partnership would help 'further cement Hong Kong's position as an international innovation hub '. Shares of NetDragon closed unchanged at HK$11.61 on Friday. NetDragon Websoft vice-chairman Simon Leung Lim-kin. Photo: Jonathan Wong The partnership reflects efforts by Chinese AI firms to expand the reach of their operations beyond the mainland, while bolstering Hong Kong's campaign to reposition itself as an international innovation and technology hub.
South China Morning Post
16 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
China's new 600Wh battery triples drone endurance. Will it shatter EV ‘range anxiety'?
Chinese researchers have set up a pilot production line for a new type of lithium battery that has twice the energy density of the most advanced electric vehicle (EV) batteries on the market. The team from Tianjin University's school of materials science explained their approach to designing and manufacturing lithium batteries in a paper published in the top journal Nature on Wednesday. This new type of battery can achieve an energy density – the amount of energy that can be stored per mass – of over 600 watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg). In comparison, the energy density of Tesla's 4680 battery is around 300Wh/kg. BYD's widely used Blade Battery is only 150Wh/kg. It also surpassed Beijing's goal for EV batteries to reach 400Wh/kg under the 'Made in China 2025' plan to upgrade the country's hi-tech industries and reduce its reliance on imports. If this new battery can be put into large-scale use, it could double or even quadruple the range of electric vehicles and shatter 'range anxiety', or the fear that a car will not have enough charge to reach its destination – considered the last great barrier to EV dominance. The team's battery has shown resilience in tests against low temperatures, fire, and even nail punctures, showing superior thermal and mechanical stability.
