Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang predicts that China will develop its own advanced lithography equipment by 2030. He attributes this potential progress to the country's robust industrial foundation, which could significantly reduce reliance on foreign technology within a few years.
Currently, the Dutch company ASML dominates the market for advanced lithography systems, but it is prohibited from supplying EUV and modern DUV machines to China. This restriction remains a major hurdle for the domestic semiconductor industry.
Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment (SMEE) is the primary Chinese developer in this sector. The company currently mass-produces equipment for 90-nanometer processes. Additionally, China is working on immersion DUV lithography, with reports suggesting systems capable of handling approximately 28-nanometer processes.
Even if functional equipment is developed, it must undergo a lengthy qualification process at chip manufacturing facilities. If initial systems were delivered to Chinese enterprises in 2026, widespread adoption in mass production is expected to take until 2028 or 2029.
