Russia says 130 nm lithography prototype is ready, with excimer laser tested ahead of acceptance

Russia has unveiled a new milestone in its domestic chipmaking equipment push. First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said at a microelectronics forum in September 2026 that a 130 nm lithography prototype jointly developed by Russia and Belarus has been built, while a domestically made excimer laser has completed testing. He said full-machine acceptance will begin this autumn and finish by year-end. The report frames the machine as a mature-node tool rather than a bid to compete in smartphone processors. It uses a 248 nm KrF excimer laser and is positioned for applications such as automotive electronics, industrial control, sensors, power devices, and military chips, where reliability and supply continuity matter more than cutting-edge geometry. The article also highlights the laser source as the key technical hurdle, noting that stable mass production of 248 nm KrF excimer lasers had previously been concentrated in a small number of suppliers. Russia’s roadmap, as cited in the report, targets 65 nm to 40 nm tools in 2026, 28 nm by 2032, and sub-10 nm EUV by 2036. It also points to major unresolved constraints outside the lithography scanner itself, including materials, EDA software, and engineering talent.