Research On The Formation Mechanism And Cracking Of Technology Path Lock-in

In recent years,the "global chip shortage" has exposed China’s advanced electronic chip dependence on the global supply chain.Especially in the context of the US and China trade competition,a series of "cut-off" events has highlighted the "neck" in China’s industrial technology problems;the underlying cause lies in the technology lock-in strategy implemented by developed countries vis-à-vis developing countries.Given this situation,the Chinese industry is in great difficulty due to the lack of critical technologies;therefore,solving the problems caused by technological lock-in is imperative.Thus,this thesis uses the perspective of latedeveloping countries to investigate the formation mechanism of the main path lockin and technology lock breakthrough,which is important for China to break out of the dilemma of technology trajectory lock-in in the lithography industry.In the face of this growing technological competition,solving the problems posed by technology trajectory lock is imperative.Thus,this thesis uses the perspective of late-developing countries to investigate the formation mechanism and the breakthrough path of technology trajectory lock-in,which is important for China to break out of the dilemma of technology path lock-in in the lithography industry.Based on the methodological approach,"problem identification-problem analysis-problem-solving-a case study",this thesis research starts from two dimensions;theory and practice.On the one hand,the theory of technological path and technological lock-in focuses on the problem of industrial and technological path lock-in,discusses the connotation and characteristics of technological path lock-in,the mechanism and process of formation,and the mode of technological breakthrough and alternative path selection.On the other hand,we analyzed the problem of "path cracking" and the selection mode by studying the current situation of "lithography technology path locking" in China,based on "technology path locking identification.In this regard,the study proceeds by analyzing the problem of path cracking and selection mode based on the logical framework of"identification and measurement of technology path cracking-the mode of path cracking and selection of technology path",and conducts a more systematic study on the formation and breakthrough of the technology path from the point of view of latecomer countries using the main path method,topic modelling and LDA,social network and other empirical methods.The following conclusions were obtained:The mechanism and process of technology path lock formation is complex;the evolutionary law of technology track,technology incumbent and technology latecomer are the important factor that influences technology path lock and the characteristics of lock formation,including technology accumulation,technology exclusivity and path dependence,are emphasized.The law of the evolution of technology suggests to us that the knowledge of the technology path is limited to the R&D strategy selection and R&D resource allocation;If one track is dominant,it will weaken the development momentum of other tracks,and the accumulative nature of different tracks leads to a difference in the degree of technology path lock,so it is an important strategic choice whether to fight for breakthroughs in the main technology track competition or to seek opportunities in the alternative path.For late-developing countries,the technology path locking cracking mode should focus on the cracking path based on inter-track leap,including cumulative inter-track leap and leap inter-track leap.Through the lithography industry case study,the study found that the evolution of lithography technology has gone through beam scanning,step scanning(dry),and immersion lithography stage,followed by EUV technology.Technology development has reached a particular lock-in stage due to the constraints of the development space of the original technology and the search for breakthroughs.The incumbent countries started in 1977 to develop the EUV radiation system,the antipollution barrier,but it was not until 2005 that they became the technology’s main path.The key technologies mainly come from ASMAC and American universities and laboratories,such as MIT,Lawrence,Sandia Labs,etc.Up to now,the leaders have accumulated more than 40 years on the EUV technology path.Compared with the traditional lithography,the main body of technology has changed significantly;ASMAC and TSMC are the main technology leaders,Tokyo Electron and Rohm have become EUV photoresist technology leaders in the new round of technology change,and the U.S.has locked most of the core technologies and technology paths.The gap between China and developed countries is large.The domestic technology subject neither appears in the main path nor the network of patentees,indicating that technology locking inhibits China’s technological innovation and,so far,cannot get rid of the status quo of technology constrained by others.For China’s lithography technology,path lock crack mode should focus on the crack path based on inter-orbit leap,which,from the level of lithography,nanoimprint lithography,electron-beam lithography may be used as a leap inter-orbit leap lock crack path;from the chip material level,carbon-based electronic technology may be used as a cumulative inter-orbit leap crack path.On the one hand,it is still possible to continue the DUV lithography technology;on the other hand,our country is in the field of carbon-based electronics technology with the leading locking strength gap being small,thus arguing the possibility of technology change track.Innovations in this paper:The study combines technology tracking and laggards’ efforts to build a complete theoretical system of technology path lock;(2)combines dynamic technology evolution and static technology gap for the identification and measurement of technology path lock;(3)build a technology path lock model and a selection model based on technology leap.This study theoretically analyzes the formation mechanism,formation process,and cracking path of technology path lock,digs out the key elements and characteristics of technology path lock,makes up for the lack of research on technology path lock from the perspective of late developing countries,and makes up for the improvement of the theoretical system of technology lock.In practice,China faces the technology-locking strategy implemented by the first-mover countries to the late-mover countries,which is a critical stage of China’s technological innovation development.This study focuses on the theoretical and empirical research of technology path locking in the context of lithography neck,which enriches the connotation of technology locking and also provides some reference to the development of related industries.