China is out competing ASML.
The laser-induced discharge plasma (LDP) EUV generation commercialization push is a DeepSeek moment for lithography that I was fearful of.
LDP is much more efficient than laser produced plasma (LPP) which ASML uses. LDP vaporizes a small quantity of tin into a cloud between two electrodes and then use high voltage to convert the tin vapor to plasma. The electrons collide with tin ions to produce the 13.5 nm EUV light. LPP requires high-energy laser and complex FPGA real time control electronics.
The LDP approach is simpler, smaller, more cost-effective and better energy efficiency.
Attached is comparison of LDP generation approach versus LPP.
https://x.com/I_loves_deep_nn/status/18 ... 3121452314[圖唔貼了,反正大家多數睇唔明]