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In December 2025, Russia announced the
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development of its first entirely
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domestically produced equipment for
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manufacturing integrated circuits. These
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are cluster systems for plasma chemical
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etching and plasma chemical deposition
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designed by Russian research institutes
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on behalf of the Ministry of Industry
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and Trade. The systems support
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technological standards down to 65
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nanome and can process silicon wafers
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with a diameter of up to 300 mm, opening
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new opportunities for modern
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semiconductor production within the
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Plasma chemical etching and plasma
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chemical deposition are core processes
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used in semiconductor fabrication to
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shape and build microscopic structures
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inside a microprocessor.
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In plasma chemical etching, a gas is
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ionized inside a vacuum chamber to
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create plasma and the reactive ions
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precisely remove material from the wafer
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surface at the nanometer scale. This
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allows engineers to form intricate
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patterns such as transistor gates,
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channels, and interconnect pathways.
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Plasma chemical deposition operates in
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the opposite way because it adds
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material rather than removing it.
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plasma activates and deposits extremely
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thin and uniform layers such as silicon
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oxide or silicon nitride onto the wafer.
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These layers function as insulators,
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protective barriers, or structural
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elements within the semiconductor.
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Because both processes occur in a
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controlled environment, they prevent
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contamination and allow manufacturers to
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create highly precise nanocale features
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essential for modern integrated
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The creation of this equipment marks an
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important step toward technological
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independence in micro electronics.
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It greatly strengthens the capabilities
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of Russian manufacturers and reduces
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dependence on foreign suppliers of
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advanced industrial machines.
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The initiative to develop domestic
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semiconductor manufacturing equipment
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emerged as part of the government's
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broader strategy to improve industrial
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self-sufficiency and decrease reliance
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on imported technologies.
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For many years, Russia's micro
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electronics sector lacked specialized
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equipment needed to produce integrated
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circuits with tiny feature sizes. Much
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of the work was done using foreign
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systems creating bottlenecks and
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potential security risks.
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The research institutes NIME, the
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Scientific Research Institute of
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Molecular Electronics and NIITM, the
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Scientific Research Institute of
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Precision Engineering, both part of the
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element group, served as the primary
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developers. The project was carried out
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under a government directive from the
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Ministry of Industry and Trade
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highlighting its national significance.
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The project included designing the
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equipment, constructing clean rooms,
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installing and integrating prototype
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systems, developing technological
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processes, and conducting testing
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Each phase required meticulous precision
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and advanced engineering because the
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apparatus must ensure flawless wafer
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The newly produced systems are
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classified as cluster tools, meaning
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they integrate multiple technological
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modules with a centralized loading
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mechanism. Their main advantage is the
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ability to conduct several sequential
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operations without exposing wafers to
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the atmosphere, which maintains purity
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and improves final product quality.
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A major technological feature of the
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Russian systems is their vacuum-based
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processing method. Wafers remain in a
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vacuum environment for the entire
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duration of processing, never coming
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into contact with air.
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This significantly reduces contamination
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and increases yield. The systems can
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perform essential processes on wafers
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with diameters of 200 mm and 300 mm
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including the deposition of thin
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insulating films such as silicon oxide
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and silicon nitride as well as plasma
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chemical removal used to form
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Plasma etching and plasma deposition
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together make up nearly 1/ half of all
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stages in a semiconductor manufacturing
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cycle. They are essential for creating
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structures, removing materials, and
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forming protective layers.
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The introduction of domestic equipment
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will help Russia modernize its micro
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electronic sector and move closer to
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building a self-reliant technological
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ecosystem. Until now, most high
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precision semiconductor equipment was
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imported, creating strategic risks and
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limiting domestic manufacturers.
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Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade
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Vasilbach stated that the 65 nanometer
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cluster systems meet Russia's long-term
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semiconductor requirements.
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He also emphasized the importance of
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their modular design which increases
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flexibility for different production
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tasks and allows companies to transition
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to more advanced technological nodes in
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the future. Another benefit is that the
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new systems can be used not only in new
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production lines but also in existing
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facilities operating with 200 mm wafer
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This compatibility lets manufacturers
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upgrade capabilities without completely
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rebuilding their plants.
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The development of indigenous cluster
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systems for plasma deposition and
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etching places Russia among a small
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group of nations capable of producing
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such precise equipment.
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Reports state that Russian developers
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now rank among the top five globally in
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In semiconductor manufacturing
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worldwide, cluster systems are
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considered industry standard because
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they combine multiple processes within a
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single vacuum environment, improving
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precision, reducing material waste, and
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boosting overall quality.
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However, reaching the 65 nanometer level
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is only one stage in a long
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technological journey. Leading global
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manufacturers already produce chips with
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features smaller than 10 nanome.
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Achieving such tiny dimensions requires
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further research, greater investment,
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and advanced infrastructure.
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Even so, the 65 nanometer milestone is
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highly important for Russia because
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chips at this scale are used in
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industrial machinery, automobiles,
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automation systems, defense electronics,
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and many other fields.
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Despite the progress, Russia continues
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to face several technological
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Creating domestic photoiththography
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systems, especially for features below
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65 nanometers, remains extremely
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difficult. Current Russian lithography
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tools reportedly have resolutions of
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about 350 nanome, which is far behind
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global leaders using deep ultraviolet
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and extreme ultraviolet technologies.
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In addition, several government programs
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meant to support micro electronics
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struggle with insufficient funding. In
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2025, real spending fell significantly
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below planned levels, potentially
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delaying some future projects.
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Nevertheless, the creation of domestic
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cluster systems is a major technological
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achievement that strengthens Russia's
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scientific and industrial foundation and
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reduces reliance on foreign equipment.
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Developers have already announced plans
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to continue moving forward. After
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completing equipment for the 65
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nanometer node, work is reportedly
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underway on systems that will support
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smaller feature sizes such as 28 nanome
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and below. These nodes are essential for
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high performance processors,
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smartphones, computers, and artificial
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intelligence hardware. Progress in
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related technologies such as
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lithography, thermal treatment, ion
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implantation, and other key
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semiconductor steps will help Russia
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strengthen its capabilities and
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eventually build a complete
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semiconductor production ecosystem.
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With global demand for electronic
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components increasing and micro
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electronics growing in strategic
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importance, the development of domestic
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manufacturing equipment has become a top
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The creation of Russian-made cluster
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systems encourages collaboration among
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industries, boosts engineering
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expertise, and supports scientific
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The development of Russia's first
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cluster systems for plasma chemical
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deposition and etching is a major
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milestone for the nation's scientific
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and industrial progress.
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It demonstrates that Russia can design
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and produce equipment previously
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manufactured only by leading
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international companies.
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Although many challenges remain, this
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achievement strengthens Russia's
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position in the global technological
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arena and lays the groundwork for future
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innovation and development.
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