Sino Japanese Chip War: The Technology Burning Road Behind the Monopoly of Photoresist

With the rapid development of technology, chip manufacturing has become a pillar industry in modern society. However, in the field of key materials in chip manufacturing, a tug of war between China and Japan has quietly begun

With the rapid development of technology, chip manufacturing has become a pillar industry in modern society. However, in the field of key materials in chip manufacturing, a tug of war between China and Japan has quietly begun. In this technological debate, photoresist has become the focus, and China urgently needs to solve the problem of relying on imports.

Photoresist, this seemingly insignificant chemical substance, is actually an important component of semiconductor manufacturing. But now, 90% of the global photoresist companies are located in Japan, and they hold valuable formulas and patents. Last year, China imported up to $8.6 billion in photoresist, and almost 95% of photoresist still relies on imports. The issue of this dependency has become particularly prominent, as the shelf life of photoresist is only six months and cannot be stored for a long time.

The severity of the photoresist problem cannot be underestimated. Once Japan cuts off the supply of photoresist, domestic chip companies will face serious difficulties in stopping production. Because photoresist and lithography secrets are inseparable, without a lithography machine, photoresist would be useless. This will paralyze China's chip industry and bring a huge impact to the national economy.

However, China is not willing to be outdone and actively seeks independent solutions to this problem. Although the production technology of domestic photoresist is relatively backward, it is already able to produce the photoresist required for chips ranging from 14 nanometers to 90 nanometers. But producing high-end photoresists still requires a huge investment, and this is a high-cost and high-risk attempt. Developing photoresist requires companies to first purchase lithography machines from abroad and then conduct continuous experiments.

This is a highly challenging task, as the research and development cost of photoresist is an almost bottomless project, and any carelessness may lead to financial difficulties for the enterprise due to experimentation. However, despite numerous difficulties, China still holds confidence and capability, with a focus on breaking through high-end photoresist technology.

At present, the core technology of high-end photoresist is still monopolized by Japan, while China's photoresist is mainly limited to the mid to low end. Most high-end photoresists still need to be imported from Japan. In addition, there are strict requirements for the transportation and storage of photoresist, which require storage and transportation between zero and ten degrees Celsius. Once opened for inspection during the customs inspection process, the photoresist will immediately become invalid, which increases the risk of import.

Behind the Sino Japanese chip war is a path of technology burning money, and China is tirelessly seeking independent research and development of photoresists to reduce its dependence on imports. This is an eye-catching technology competition, full of challenges and opportunities. How to break through Japan's monopoly and achieve a breakthrough in domestic high-end photoresist will determine the future of China's chip industry. The outcome of this battle will undoubtedly spark widespread controversy and leave behind suspense, but no matter how difficult the road ahead may be, China has the confidence to face it and ultimately achieve its goal of independently developing high-end photoresists. This is a magnificent showdown of the technological era, let's wait and see.

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