At a semiconductor laser technology seminar, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) announced a major breakthrough in its independently developed solid-state deep ultraviolet (DUV) laser system. The system successfully outputs laser light with a wavelength of 193nm, providing a domestic solution for 3nm chip manufacturing and filling the gap in China's solid-state DUV laser technology.

Compared with traditional technologies, the system boasts significant advantages:Adopting a composite structure of YAG crystals and KBBF crystals, it leverages nonlinear optical frequency conversion technology to break the dependence of traditional excimer lasers on rare gases. With a volume only 1/5 that of ASML's conventional DUV equipment, its floor space is reduced from 100㎡ to 20㎡, energy consumption is cut by 60%, and the high maintenance cost associated with excimer lasers is effectively avoided.

A leader of the CAS R&D team stated that the system has completed a 1,000-hour continuous operation test, with laser output stability reaching ±0.5%, fully meeting the stringent requirements of chip manufacturing. Currently, the technology has entered the pilot production phase and secured a cooperation agreement with SMIC for small-batch trial production of 3nm process chips. Industry experts pointed out that this breakthrough marks China's leap from "following" to "keeping pace" in the field of chip lithography equipment, providing core support for the independent development of the semiconductor industry.