Chinese startup shows a prototype EUV light source for chipmaking

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A Chinese startup called Langdao Silex has shown a prototype extreme ultraviolet light source, one of the most difficult components in advanced chipmaking. Tom's Hardware's Anton Shilov reports that the company displayed its FlintNano LPP-OXXO at the China International Industry Fair in Shanghai, although the system was not switched on

The company was founded in 2024 by alumni of Tsinghua University's gas discharge plasma lab. It claims more than 15 watts of EUV output, probably measured at the plasma rather than at the point where the light is used. It also claims 90 percent domestic components, a 1,000 watt driving laser, more than 2 percent conversion efficiency and more than 100 hours of continuous operation

To put that in context, Tom's Hardware compares it with ASML's history. ASML reached about 10 watts in 2007 and 11 watts on early tools in 2012, then 125 to 150 watts on early production machines and 250 watt class sources by 2018 and 2019. Modern chipmaking needs those much higher power levels to process wafers quickly enough

Analysts at TrendForce say commercialisation would take three to five years. A light source on its own is also not a complete lithography machine, which needs extraordinary optics and precision engineering as well. For now, uses would be limited to research, such as testing photoresists, inspecting masks and developing optics

These specs are company claims and have not been independently checked. Still, it shows how much effort is going into building EUV technology outside ASML. Lithography is one of the hardest engineering challenges in the world, and progress here is always worth watching

How long could it take for alternatives to ASML's EUV machines to appear? And how impressive is 15 watts compared with where the industry started?

China startup demoes prototype EUV light source - 15W of output power and 90% domestic components, still years away from viabilitywww.tomshardware.com