(Image credit: Prinano) Chinese semiconductor start-up Prinano announced that it has successfully validated the mass production of photonic chips without using the industry-standard lithography equipment. According to an SCMP report , the company said in a WeChat post on Friday, June 5th, that it had made 8-inch optical chip wafers in collaboration with Shenzhen Litra Technology. The company said it achieved this while “completely avoiding” the need for deep-ultraviolet lithography (DUV), a significant breakthrough in China’s push to reduce its dependence on ASML lithography tools, which remain subject to export restrictions . Go deeper with TH Premium: Chipmaking Instead of conventional optical lithography, Prinano said it used its PL-AS vacuum air-cushion nanoimprint lithography (NIL) system, which, according to the company, can reduce manufacturing costs to roughly one-tenth that of traditional DUV-based processes, while supporting wafer-level production of photonic chips.…