Domestic electronic industry overcame half a century. It originates in the USSR, when the formation of leading research centers and high-tech enterprises took place. There were both ups and oblivion on this path. At present, a strategy for the development of the electronic industry until 2025 has been determined, and a joint program of the Union State, Osnova, is being implemented.
Locomotive industry
Electronics can be compared with the “gray cardinal” of the economy - achievements in this area rarely adorn the headlines of the media, but the global state of many industrial enterprises and the military industry depends on its development. For safety reasons, it is not always possible to use components of foreign partners, and the economic benefit of using domestic products is obvious. It is no coincidence that during the times of the USSR the Ministry of Electronic Industry acted with such giants of microelectronics as Mikron, Integral, Angstrom, Zenit, LOMO, Long-distance Communication and others.
Past and future
In the Soviet Union , electronic industry enterprises were dispersed over a vast territory, mainly in the European part of the Russian Federation, Belarus and Ukraine. Moreover, they made up a single interconnected complex, which ceased to exist with the collapse of the Union.
In the "dashing 90s" the vast majority of Russian core enterprises have actually lost their potential. The electronic industry of Russia was largely scaled down: only the permanent leaders of OJSC Research Institute of Molecular Electronics and the Mikron Plant (OJSC NIIME and Mikron) and OJSC Angstrem, located in Zelenograd, survived.
Minsk Integral, supported personally by President Lukashenko, turned out to be in somewhat better conditions. However, he also lost large dual-purpose orders. The company reduced production, but thanks to state support and focus on small-scale orders of high-tech products from domestic consumers and buyers of electronic component base (ECB) from other countries, it stayed afloat.
Fortunately, in the mid-2000s. The Russian leadership understood the strategic importance of developing its own electronics, and in 2007 the "Strategy for the development of the electronics industry until 2025" was adopted. There are already obvious positive developments in this area, especially in the military-space industry and in the field of security.
"The basis"
In parallel with the development of the Russian concept, the Osnov program was launched, which provides for the restoration of scientific and production chains between research institutes and enterprises of Russia and Belarus within the framework of the Union State. Moreover, the “Osnova” project has become one of the highest priorities, supplanting development programs in the space industry, the chemical industry, optics, the production of diesel units, and the development of laser technologies.
In fact, the electronic industry of the USSR is being revived, or rather, its potential. Relying on joint work in this segment, integration initiators are trying to write a new page in the history of the revival of electronics, but with a more modern accent, delving into the submicron area. Strategic tasks for our states are put here at the forefront - ensuring security and maintaining defense capability.
Foreign experience
Meanwhile, the electronic industry of the world is moving forward by leaps and bounds. In the USA, for example, electronics came out first in terms of added product, ahead of the automotive and aviation industries. Active state support for this industry is provided by China, Taiwan, India, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Here, electronics is considered as an effective lever for raising national economies and entering the world market.
High-tech corporations strive to spur this scientific direction, not sparing financial injections. Up to $ 12 billion is allocated annually for scientific and technical programs.
Trends and Development
Particular attention is paid to the development of submicron technologies for the production of ultra-large integrated circuits (VLSI). Over the past 30-40 years, the elemental base has gone through several generations of development: large (LSI), ultra-large, and based on them complex-functional systems on a chip (SoC) have appeared.
Analysts have long noted that in the modern world, electronics predetermines progress in various fields - communications, industry, transport, telecommunications, healthcare, banking and social fields, military equipment, etc. New technologies in the electronic industry have enabled several countries, such as the United States, England, Japan, Germany, France and others, hold the levers of world domination: military, technical, financial, political.
On the cutting edge of progress
It is significant that in terms of the volume of products created, the global electronic industry exceeds the production of oil, gasoline and minerals by almost 4.5 times, chemical products and plastics - by 3 times, freight traffic - by 2.5 times, electricity and gas - by more than 2 times. The calculated economic efficiency of electronics in developed countries looks no less positive:
- industry growth rates three times higher than GDP growth rates;
- the global average payback period of projects is 2-3 years;
- one dollar of investments allows you to get up to $ 100 in the final product;
- 1 kg of microelectronic components costs more than 100 tons of oil;
- the creation of one job in the electronics industry leads to the creation of 4 jobs in other industries.
Why develop electronics
Based on the experience of world leaders, it can be argued that the development of the electronic industry leads to an integral effect, far beyond the scope of this industry alone. This contributes to the growth of high technology products, increasing the competitiveness and technical level of computing, rocket and space, aviation, machine building, motor transport, machine tool and other equipment.
Volumes of production of electronic components are growing steadily, determining progress in the most promising areas - aerospace and electronic industries, robotics and instrumentation, etc.
Electronic industry of Russia and Belarus
It is clear that countries in the post-Soviet space could not remain aloof from such global processes. It was possible to give priority attention to the development of electronics and the equally demanded area of microelectronics, as the “growth points” of the economy and national security, as a result of joint work within the Union State.
The foundations of interaction and effective solution of the tasks set for the revival of microelectronics as a priority industrial sector and for the creation of new semiconductor devices on the Russian-Belarusian element-component base were laid by the Union programs "Microsystems", "Baza", "Pramen".
The national electronic industry has already received a powerful impetus: dozens of standard ratings of functionally specialized microelectronics products have been developed that correspond to the world level. In 2013, another important project with the participation of specialists and scientists of our countries was completed - the program "Development and development of a series of integrated circuits and semiconductor devices for special-purpose and dual-use equipment." The budget on the Russian side is set at 975 million Russian rubles, on the Belarusian side - 525 million.
Near future
Judging by the noticeable revival in the domestic market of electronic components, increased attention and support from government agencies, media reports, very active work is being carried out. The prospect of the development of microelectronics in the near future has become more real and visible. The most important tasks are being solved to create the element base for the development of an expanded nomenclature and the sale of electronic equipment, household, general industrial and special purpose systems, the elimination of the dependence of the national electronic industry on imports and a significant increase in its export potential.
By the way, the Russian academician K. A. Valiev spoke about the need to create and develop domestic technologies in microelectronics in the early 2000s. He admitted, however, that this task is not easy, and it can be accomplished only if special modern technological equipment is available. The necessary financial and organizational support for microelectronics can provide targeted programs that are deployed at the state level.
Guard the motherland
As for the military sphere, high-precision microelectronics has been registered here for a long time. Today we can talk about creating a modern electronic component base for the production of highly effective defense equipment. New semiconductor devices and microcircuits have found application in more than a hundred of the latest weapons. Main areas of use:
- radar stations;
- anti-aircraft missile systems, including the famous S-400 and the developed S-500;
- electronic warfare systems : interference suppression, interception, radio transmission suppression.
New constructive technological solutions and IC typologies, patented in the Russian Federation, have proven themselves well among the Russian military-industrial complex consumers, providing high reliability and operability of devices under conditions of increased radiation, neutron irradiation, gamma and x-ray radiation, and electromagnetic pulses. Such technical characteristics and parameters are extremely important for weapons systems, electronic control systems for military and space technology, control systems and ensuring the safety of nuclear power plants.
Flagships of microelectronics
To create such high-precision equipment equipped with a sophisticated electronic battery, it was necessary to combine the efforts of research centers and flagships of microelectronics in Russia and Belarus. Thus, the “Basis” program has become the next step in creating the latest technologies.
In total, about 40 research institutes and industrial enterprises act as the main executors and co-executors in its implementation. The main supplier of microelectronic element-component base for dual and special purpose is the Belarusian OJSC Integral. From the Russian side, the relay race for creating high-tech products based on modern electronics is picked up by the Mikron group of companies, the largest producer of microelectronics in the post-Soviet space, which is part of the industrial holding RTI OJSC.
NIIME and Mikron OJSC is an enterprise with almost half a century history, a technological leader in the Russian semiconductor industry. Today they are engaged in research, development, production and sale of integrated circuits, including for export. In 2012, a new microchip production line with a topological level of 90 nm was launched. Partners are the state corporation RUSNANO and the European giant STMicroelectronics.
Science and Production
Electronic industry is impossible without scientific research. The Micron parent enterprise has been entrusted with a comprehensive R&D complex (research and development), in which it is assisted by the 15 largest radio electronic enterprises in Russia.
The R&D complex included one research and 26 development projects on the creation of 54 standard types of import-substituting electronic component base with a high degree of integration, with high accuracy and functional characteristics. In particular, Mikron solves a whole range of problems, one of which is devoted to the development and implementation of microprocessor-based VLSI with an integrated operating system for smart cards and electronic documents.
Afterword
It must be understood that Western companies are in no hurry to sell the latest high-quality microelectronics for military and space equipment to domestic enterprises. Therefore, the immediate task in the near future in the implementation of strategic industry programs is the implementation of a technological breakthrough into the future.