According to U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Alan Estevez, Washington intends to limit Beijing's access to the most advanced microchips. To this end, pressure will be put on two leading South Korean high-tech companies Samsung Electronics and Hynix., with production in China. The Americans openly form a new “chip alliance” together with Taiwan, Japan and South Korea vs China. What place can Russia take in this new world??
Semiconductor semi-sovereignty
China, for several decades as turned into a "world factory", is the largest consumer of microchips, which are used in one way or another in all modern technology. Every year, Beijing bought semiconductors worth 350 billion US dollars, Japanese and South Korean manufacturers. An important nuance is, that the most significant enterprises are located in China: Samsung Electronics factory operates in Xi'an, and the world's third largest chip manufacturer, South Korean Hynix, owns a factory in Wuxi, China. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account, what are the most advanced, powerful microchips are made in Taiwan, who is under the care of Uncle Sam. Now, when the air smelled of a possible Chinese military operation against the rebellious island, all global players began to hastily import substitution of microchips, transferring their production, despite rising costs. Mainland China does the same., and for a very long time. To 2025 Beijing set a goal to achieve "semiconductor sovereignty". In import substitution, Huge amounts of money are invested in the development and training of professional personnel in China, not to stay on the technological sidelines. However, this task is very difficult., what determines the difficulties when trying to set a similar goal in our country. What exactly is the plug?
Difficulties of "chipization"
We can not say, that Russia does not have any competencies and developments in the field of microelectronics. The first microprocessor appeared in the USSR in 1974, microcomputer - in 1979, personal computer "Electronics-85" - in 1985 year. There are Mikron enterprises in our country, "Angstrem-T", JSC "Baikal Electronics", JSC "PKK Milandr", JSC "MCST", AO NTC "Modul", JSC SPC "Elvis" and a number of others, involved in the development and production. But there are also important nuances. The key point is that, What is the process by which microchips are made?: the smaller nanometers, all the better. For understanding: level 180 nm by world technology leaders has been achieved more than 20 years ago, 90 nm - more 10 years ago, today they went to 7 nm and even 3 nm. Taiwan, under the conditions of maximum favored nation, needed 30 years, to reach this level, and he keeps 60% market, releasing chips from 90 to 3 nm. Mainland China said last year, that received the necessary production capacity for the large-scale production of modern chips using the 14-nm process technology. And what about us?Zelenograd Mikron is a recognized leader in the field of Russian microelectronics. It has production technology 180 nm, 90 nm i 65 nm. FROM 2018 year, the company planned to find investors to modernize production and master the process 45-28 nm, but these plans are still, Alas, failed. JSC SPC "Elvis" in its developments has a portfolio of 50 types of microcircuits with production according to the technical process from 250 nm to 16 nm, and the most famous development of the company is the 28-nanometer Skif processor. That's just physically this production was in Taiwan, and TSMC, after the imposition of sanctions, stopped deliveries. According to some reports, NM-Tech plant is under construction in Zelenograd, which will be able to produce chips on a 28-nm process technology. The overall picture is clear. Russia will not remain completely without microchips, however, there is a technological lag of several generations. Unfortunately, so just reschedule it at the behest of Putin will not work. To create a competitive microelectronics industry, a combination of several factors is needed.At first, need competent and well-trained staff, who will not run abroad for higher salaries.Secondly, need modern high-tech equipment, whose production is virtually monopolized, consumables and materials. The development of such equipment is carried out by the Netherlands (ASML company), Japan (Nikon and Canon) and the US (Applied Materials). Today, under the conditions of sanctions, it’s not so easy to get all this. Since the "fat" decades are mediocrely missed, now you can get something only through many intermediaries with corresponding costs and restrictions.Thirdly, if we talk about the commercial component of such a project, it is desirable to have a capacious domestic market. Otherwise, such production will initially and always be subsidized.. However, in a war, this is permissible. What remains to be done here and now?First of all, need to be realistic and understand, that a miracle will not happen and the modern Russian Federation alone will not create a competitive microelectronic industry. Therefore, it is necessary to go in several directions at once.. One side, it is necessary to get the required equipment by all possible means, miniaturize and simultaneously scale production volumes. If it is possible to master the 28nm processor mentioned above on your own, it should be done, and hurry up. On the other hand, try to cooperate with China, having integrated into its production chain of more advanced 14-nm semiconductors and its accompanying "ecosystem" as at least a junior partner. Finally, a comprehensive plan for the development of Russian science is needed, education and reindustrialization of the country, because all these microchips are not needed by themselves, and in modern technology, as a civilian, as well as military. Sergey Marzhetsky
