Russia Has Spies in ASML. Dutch Authorities Have Just Arrested an Engineer Who Was Part of the 7 nm Plan for 2028

Espionage is rampant in the semiconductor industry and extends to other sectors. A strategic industry like integrated circuits is no exception. Chris Miller, author of the book Chip War, says the Chinese government has used spies to study ASML’s production processes.

ASML, based in the Netherlands, is the only company capable of designing and manufacturing extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment. TSMC, Intel, and Samsung use these machines to produce cutting-edge chips. As the sole manufacturer of such equipment, ASML has no competition. Although Dutch-owned, the machines incorporate U.S. technology, giving this country the power to decide who can use them.

Russia Has Also Infiltrated ASML

In the tense geopolitical climate between the U.S. and its allies on one side and China and Russia on the other, ASML is prohibited from selling its most advanced lithography equipment to China and Russia. This restriction stems from regulations issued by the Dutch government at the request of the U.S. Like China, Russia is racing to develop state-of-the-art photolithography machines as quickly as possible. However, based on the following information, it appears it has a long way to go.

In May, Vasily Shpak, deputy minister of Industry and Trade for the Russian Federation, announced at the “Digitalization of Industrial Russia” conference that the country had developed its first EUV photolithography equipment. Shpak stated the machine’s design is entirely Russian and said it could produce 350 nm integrated circuits. However, this is just the beginning.

The administration of Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to create a prototype EUV lithography machine capable of producing 130 nm chips by 2026 and a similar machine producing 7 nm chips by 2028. These ambitions seem far-fetched, but according to Dutch media outlet NOS, Russia has spies inside ASML. China does as well. In fact, one such spy, a former employee of Russian origin, has been arrested in the Netherlands on charges of stealing critical trade secrets.

According to NOS, the 43-year-old engineer stole proprietary documents from ASML and Mapper Lithography, selling them to the Russian government for tens of thousands of dollars. He’s scheduled to testify in Rotterdam. The Dutch Ministry of Asylum and Migration has banned him from entering the country for 20 years, but that may be the least of his problems. One thing is clear: If Russia wants lithography equipment capable of producing 7 nm chips within three years, espionage may be its only option.

Image | ASML

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