Russia has unveiled an ambitious roadmap to develop homegrown extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography tools capable of producing chips at sub-10nm nodes by 2036, according to information shared by Dmitrii Kuznetsov on X and the Institute of Microstructure Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The plan builds on a project first disclosed in late 2024, which proposed EUV systems using an alternative 11.2nm wavelength light source rather than the 13.5nm standard used by ASML. By replacing tin droplet lasers with xenon plasma-based sources and utilizing ruthenium-beryllium (Ru/Be) mirrors, Russian researchers aim to reduce system complexity, lower costs, and minimize contamination of photomasks.

The roadmap spans three stages:

 ● 2026–2028: A lithography tool with 40–60nm resolution, 10nm overlay accuracy, a 3 x 3mm exposure field, and throughput exceeding five wafers per hour.

 ● 2029–2032: A 28nm-capable system (with potential for 14nm), featuring a four-mirror optical setup, 5nm overlay precision, a 26 x 0.5mm field, and throughput above 50 wafers per hour.

 ● 2033–2036: A sub-10nm platform (down to 9nm) using six mirrors, 2nm overlay alignment, and throughput over 100 wafers per hour—roughly half that of ASML's EUV systems.

While the 11.2nm wavelength could theoretically deliver around 20% higher resolution and simpler optics than existing EUV tools, it poses major ecosystem challenges. All supporting technologies—mirrors, photoresists, masks, and even EDA tools—would need redesigns and recalibration to operate at the new wavelength.

Analysts caution that although the Russian roadmap outlines a structured path, it faces significant hurdles in ecosystem development, cost, and throughput. The project highlights Russia's determination to reduce reliance on Western semiconductor tools, but its commercial viability and ability to compete with ASML's mature EUV platforms remain uncertain.