New breakthrough in domestically developed chip equipment! Covers 90-28nm: Already delivered to leading wafer foundries.

Domestic semiconductor equipment manufacturer Yuwei Semiconductor recently announced that the self-developed Raptor-600, the first domestic mask pattern defect detection equipment that can fully cover 90nm to 28nm process nodes, has been officially shipped to a leading domestic wafer fab.

Masks are the core master templates in the chip lithography process. Their quality directly determines the production yield of entire wafers, and even minor defects can cause a whole batch of wafers to be scrapped.

Since the delivery of the first-generation model Raptor-500 in early 2025, Yuwei took only 520 days to complete the entire process from project initiation to machine launch.

The Raptor-600 is designed for the rigorous inspection standards of 28nm and above process nodes, building a quality defense line for high-end masks worth tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars each.

The new device is equipped with a self-developed high-resolution transmission-reflection dual-light-path ultraviolet imaging system, which can simultaneously capture various defects affecting mask and lithography yield. It features a nanometer-level high-precision motion platform, ensuring micron-level stable accuracy for detection positioning. Paired with a super-large image parallel computing engine, defect recognition speed and adaptability have been significantly improved.

The Raptor-600 can distinguish fine patterns, avoid interference from assist features, and quickly detect issues such as pattern defects and surface contaminants. It is also compatible with both mask manufacturing plants and wafer fabs, meeting the quality control needs of the entire process.

Wang Fan, President of Yuwei Semiconductor, stated that the Raptor-600 is an important milestone in the company's independent innovation journey, filling a key gap in domestic high-end mask pattern defect detection equipment for the 90nm to 28nm process nodes.

Sun Gang, Vice President of the company, reviewed the technical breakthrough process from project initiation to machine launch. Wang Wei, General Manager of the Product Division, revealed that teams worked day and night in fields such as optoelectronics, electromechanics, algorithms, software, and testing to ensure a comprehensive leap in overall machine performance.