After the announcement of the news, the prices of related commodities in the international market rose rapidly; many experts predicted that their price increase may exceed 500%; this change quickly attracted widespread attention from all walks of life; its impact range was wide and far exceeded people’s expectations.
Market prices soar
On the international stage, once the news was released, the prices of related commodities rose rapidly. With its rich experience and accurate judgment, professionals predict that future price increases may exceed 500%. This violent price fluctuation has caused a significant reaction in the market and attracted the close attention of many investors and related companies.
Supply Chain Strategic Impact
Mental observation analysis shows that the measure has had a significant impact on international supply chains. Especially for those industries such as high-performance magnets, optoelectronic products, as well as defense, military and medical equipment that rely on seven important rare earth elements, uncertainty in raw material supply may lead to risks in the production process. Therefore, relevant companies urgently need to re-evaluate their supply chain layout and actively seek solutions.
The lithography machine industry game
This incident had a profound impact on the lithography machine industry. EUV lithography machines are regarded as an important tool for the United States to limit my country’s scientific and technological progress, which has aroused widespread concerns among domestic public opinion. Despite this, my country has made significant progress in EUV technology. At the same time, the United States and other Western countries have encountered restrictions on my country’s rare earth resources in the development of lithography technology. Although the United States tries to impose technical control on China, the sustainable development of its lithography technology still needs to rely on the resources provided by our country.
Technical iteration challenges
ASML’s strategic planning shows that the EUV product line is expected to reach resolution peaks in the early 2030s. Subsequently, it is expected that starting from 2035, BEUV lithography machines will gradually surpass EUV lithography machines and occupy a dominant position in the market. Globally, the research and development of BEUV key technologies has been started, and the project led by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the United States is particularly prominent among many studies. The research project invested up to US$12 million, with the aim of improving the performance of EUV light sources and promoting the birth of a new generation of lithography technology.
Exploration of diverse technologies
Research in the field of BEUV involves a variety of light source technology paths. In my country, the world’s leading position in free electron lasers and steady-state micro-beam accelerators is very prominent. However, the IRDS lithography roadmap shows that alternatives have problems with imperfect industrial ecology. This challenge requires us to form a broad consensus and work together to promote technological development and ecological construction.
Short-wavelength light source is preferred
Against the current development background, the industry generally shows great enthusiasm for the research of short-wavelength laser plasma light sources. The principle of this technology is closely related to the existing EUV technology, and the multi-layer mirror reflective optical system performs excellently in the reflection effect of a specific wavelength. Based on these characteristics, it is very likely to become the preferred solution for BEUV technology, which is expected to promote the sustainable development of lithography technology.
Industry changes and technological innovation are very obvious. What are your opinions on the changing trends of the future competitive landscape of the lithography industry? I would like to express your personal opinions, and you are welcome to like and share to promote discussion!
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