Russia is creating a domestic base for producing the equipment for semiconductor production—photolithography systems—without which current integrated circuits cannot be produced. It is as if the industry has to start again from the beginning after a long gap, beginning at the technology level where domestic progress stopped. The fruits of this initiative are already starting to bear fruit: a Russian-Belarusian partnership built a lithography system with a 350-nanometer process node, and a next-generation 130-nm prototype has already been produced.
On September 26, 2026, Vasily Shpak, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia, said that the state of affairs with local lithography has altered dramatically compared to 2022. Now there are two technological tracks. The 350-nm system is advancing toward serial production, and the 130-nm machine is in the final stage of development. The whole 130-nanometer system is planned to be finished by the end of 2026 with the serial production in 2027.
350 nm — The First Industrial Result
The first practical product of the program is the Progress STP-350 photolithography equipment, created by the Zelenograd Nanotechnology Center (ZNTC) in cooperation with Belarusian business Planar. The ZNTC system is developed for the projection transfer of a photomask pattern on semiconductor wafers. It can be used to produce a broad range of electronic components, including items for the automobile and aerospace sectors and industrial automation.
The machine can handle wafers up to 200 mm in diameter and has a 22×22 mm exposure field. It uses a solid-state laser with a wavelength of around 355 nm . Its declared throughput is up to 62 wafers of 150 mm diameter per hour.
The important thing is, this is no longer an experimental machine. The first serial Russian lithography system will be shipped to a customer in December 2026. Industry journals say the recipient will be Mapper, and the next machine is going to Industrial Solutions, part of the Element group. The basic price of the system is projected to be about 392 million rubles minus VAT. The configuration with extended service and five-year guarantee would cost about 561 million rubles.
Next milestone: 130 nm
The most exciting portion of the program is presently the 130 nm lithography system. ZNTC announced the completion of another round of development work and fabrication of an experimental prototype in August 2026. The project is also implemented with the participation of the Belarusian company Planar.
The technological foundation is substantially more complicated at 130 nm. The light source of the system is an excimer laser with a wavelength of 193 nm. Furthermore, the Russian laser is being built directly as a part of the project, in accordance with published goals. This is a notable change to the earlier generation in which some components, particularly the laser system, had initially foreign origins.
And so the target is drifting slowly. The initial stage was primarily on producing a working lithography machine. Now, there is increased focus on localizing its components—light sources, optical systems, mechanical systems, control systems, and other important parts.
130 nm to 90 nm
The objective is therefore gradually changing. Russia is starting to prepare for the development of a 90-nm lithography equipment. Vasily Shpak spoke about ambitions to build such equipment already in March 2026. The 130-nm project is expected to create a bridge between the first generation of household systems and more advanced equipment.
The strategic goal is not only to develop a few types of lithography systems but to reestablish the whole competency base for the manufacture of the semiconductor production equipment. This is especially important since lithography is only one aspect of a much bigger technical chain. Domestic capabilities are also needed for lasers, optical systems, materials, photomasks, metrology equipment and hardware-software control systems.
In this process, special importance is assigned to the Russian-Belarusian partnership. Planar kept its experience in equipment relevant to the Soviet era, and today’s initiatives combine those surviving Belarusian competencies with Russian technical and technology resources. Planar is listed by ZNTC itself as a partner in the development of the 350-nm technology.
The Main Task Is Not Simply to Catch Up, But to Rebuild the Chain
The step from 350 to 130 nm and then to 90 nm and finally to more advanced process nodes cannot be seen as a simple race among the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturers. The gap with the most modern process technology is still large.
But today’s challenge for Russia is different: establishing a domestic technology base in an area where capabilities have been missing for decades.
In the future the important measure will not be the number of nanometers but the depth of localization of the kit. The more crucial parts Russian industry produces itself, the less the entire semiconductor production chain is reliant on overseas sources.
This is why the current program is not merely a narrative about 350- or 130-nm lithography equipment. It is an endeavor to restore an industrial capacity that is required to attain technological sovereignty in semiconductor fabrication.