China develops solid-state laser for semiconductor manufacturing

Scientists in China have made a significant advancement in laser technology that could change the way computer chips are made. They have developed a new solid-state deep ultraviolet (DUV) laser, which offers an alternative to the traditional gas-based excimer lasers that are currently used. Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) created a coherent 193 nanometer beam, which is essential for a process called photolithography used in semiconductor manufacturing. Their findings were published in a journal by the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE). If this new laser technology is expanded, it could lead to the creation of new lithography tools. These tools would help produce more advanced semiconductor chips, which are crucial components in many electronic devices like cell phones and computers. Currently, these chips depend on photolithography to etch patterns onto silicon wafers using special ultraviolet light.