It's a given, 14nm domestic chip mass production and SMEE SSA800 DUVL is yesterday news, now we focus on EUVL, SSMB ,The Mythical SMEE SSA900 22nm DUVL, SMIC localized production line, it's 7NM, 5NM and now 3NM program as the Mainland article below implied. @WTAN Sir I can't verify the news, BUT the hint is there, One is why Liang Mong Song is still retained (His counterpart Chang Shang Yi officially retired), second IF the news is to be believed he may had used the SSF (Shanghai Synchrotron facility) as a research base while waiting for the necessary EUVL equipment. Sir its all conjecture on my part and Liang Mong Song himself said that all research regarding 5NM and 3NM are finished and he need an EUVL machine to verify its research and maybe the SSF may had provided him that opportunity.
SMIC's 3nm chip made a breakthrough
Since TSMC was unable to supply Huawei, SMIC in mainland China has been regarded by many people as Huawei's greatest hope, because SMIC is also an excellent chip foundry. Although in terms of overall strength, there is still a certain gap between SMIC and TSMC, but it is commendable that SMIC is making progress.
So what is the current level of SMIC's chip process technology? How long will it take to catch up with TSMC?
According to the latest news, after two years of hard work, SMIC has achieved mass production of 14nm chips, and 7nm chips are also undergoing trial production, and it may not be long before they can be delivered to customers. More importantly, Liang Mengsong, the co-CEO of SMIC, also submitted a report on the development direction of 5nm and even 3nm chips.
If SMIC advances step by step in accordance with the plan formulated by Liang Mengsong, domestically produced 3nm chips will no longer be just an unattainable dream. In other words, SMIC's 3nm chip has made a major breakthrough and has reached the world's top level!
You know, 7nm and 5nm are the most mainstream high-end chip manufacturing processes, and 3nm is the process technology that TSMC and Samsung are preparing to make breakthroughs in the next two to three years. Now that SMIC has also mastered the core technology of 3nm chips, it means that the level of chip manufacturing in mainland China will usher in a qualitative improvement in the future.
As the most advanced chip foundry in China, SMIC has not let people down. It has indeed become the capital that Huawei relies on. Before, SMIC and Huawei jointly produced a purely domestic chip Kirin 710A. Although it was only a 14nm process, it still received the support of countless Chinese.
Now that SMIC has made breakthroughs in even 3nm chips, the Chinese people will naturally feel excited. If Huawei can continue to cooperate with SMIC in the future, the issue of Kirin chips will be resolved. Moreover, SMIC's progress will also promote the rise of domestic chips, which is very good news for the domestic semiconductor industry at this stage!
Only the EUV lithography machine
However, it is worth mentioning that although SMIC has mastered the key technology of 3nm chips, it lacks the support of core equipment, especially the EUV lithography machine from ASML in the Netherlands. In other words, SMIC has everything in place, and it only owes Dongfeng! The distance to mass production of 3nm chips is only the EUV lithography machine.
Everyone knows that a lithography machine is a necessary equipment for the production of chips, and high-end chips such as 7nm, 5nm and 3nm need to use more advanced EUV lithography machines. But what makes people helpless is that the only manufacturer in the world that can make EUV lithography machines is ASML, and its annual output is only a few.
Coupled with the impact of related agreements and the attitude of the United States, ASML cannot freely ship to Chinese companies at all, and the lithography machine has therefore become a problem for domestic chips. Therefore, in this case, it is very difficult for SMIC to purchase EUV lithography machines unless the United States accepts ASML's shipment.
In fact, SMIC had previously wanted to spend US$150 million to purchase an EUV lithography machine from ASML, but it was unsuccessful and could only be left out in the end. Now after Jiang Shangyi took office, SMIC has launched another action, hoping to negotiate with ASML with Jiang Shangyi's help to win the opportunity to purchase EUV lithography machines.
This negotiation is of great significance to SMIC. If ASML agrees to supply, then SMIC's technical level will rapidly improve, and domestic 5nm and 3nm chips will also be on the stage; and ASML still cannot sell EUV lithography machines. SMIC's technological breakthrough has lost its practical significance, and the 3nm chip is nowhere in sight.
That's why it is said that everything is ready in this situation, and only the wind is owed. As long as you buy the EUV lithography machine, SMIC can rise with domestic chips!
Write at the end
Although ASML's EUV lithography machine will certainly not easily let go of restrictions, and SMIC is not so easy to buy, but SMIC's breakthrough to 3nm chips is good news in itself. Although there is no EUV lithography machine in China, I believe that domestic semiconductor companies will continue to improve like SMIC!
All is ready except for the opportunity!SMIC breaks through 3nm chip, only EUV lithography machine
2022-01-17 12:29 HKTSMIC's 3nm chip made a breakthrough
Since TSMC was unable to supply Huawei, SMIC in mainland China has been regarded by many people as Huawei's greatest hope, because SMIC is also an excellent chip foundry. Although in terms of overall strength, there is still a certain gap between SMIC and TSMC, but it is commendable that SMIC is making progress.
So what is the current level of SMIC's chip process technology? How long will it take to catch up with TSMC?
According to the latest news, after two years of hard work, SMIC has achieved mass production of 14nm chips, and 7nm chips are also undergoing trial production, and it may not be long before they can be delivered to customers. More importantly, Liang Mengsong, the co-CEO of SMIC, also submitted a report on the development direction of 5nm and even 3nm chips.
If SMIC advances step by step in accordance with the plan formulated by Liang Mengsong, domestically produced 3nm chips will no longer be just an unattainable dream. In other words, SMIC's 3nm chip has made a major breakthrough and has reached the world's top level!
You know, 7nm and 5nm are the most mainstream high-end chip manufacturing processes, and 3nm is the process technology that TSMC and Samsung are preparing to make breakthroughs in the next two to three years. Now that SMIC has also mastered the core technology of 3nm chips, it means that the level of chip manufacturing in mainland China will usher in a qualitative improvement in the future.
As the most advanced chip foundry in China, SMIC has not let people down. It has indeed become the capital that Huawei relies on. Before, SMIC and Huawei jointly produced a purely domestic chip Kirin 710A. Although it was only a 14nm process, it still received the support of countless Chinese.
Now that SMIC has made breakthroughs in even 3nm chips, the Chinese people will naturally feel excited. If Huawei can continue to cooperate with SMIC in the future, the issue of Kirin chips will be resolved. Moreover, SMIC's progress will also promote the rise of domestic chips, which is very good news for the domestic semiconductor industry at this stage!
Only the EUV lithography machine
However, it is worth mentioning that although SMIC has mastered the key technology of 3nm chips, it lacks the support of core equipment, especially the EUV lithography machine from ASML in the Netherlands. In other words, SMIC has everything in place, and it only owes Dongfeng! The distance to mass production of 3nm chips is only the EUV lithography machine.
Everyone knows that a lithography machine is a necessary equipment for the production of chips, and high-end chips such as 7nm, 5nm and 3nm need to use more advanced EUV lithography machines. But what makes people helpless is that the only manufacturer in the world that can make EUV lithography machines is ASML, and its annual output is only a few.
Coupled with the impact of related agreements and the attitude of the United States, ASML cannot freely ship to Chinese companies at all, and the lithography machine has therefore become a problem for domestic chips. Therefore, in this case, it is very difficult for SMIC to purchase EUV lithography machines unless the United States accepts ASML's shipment.
In fact, SMIC had previously wanted to spend US$150 million to purchase an EUV lithography machine from ASML, but it was unsuccessful and could only be left out in the end. Now after Jiang Shangyi took office, SMIC has launched another action, hoping to negotiate with ASML with Jiang Shangyi's help to win the opportunity to purchase EUV lithography machines.
This negotiation is of great significance to SMIC. If ASML agrees to supply, then SMIC's technical level will rapidly improve, and domestic 5nm and 3nm chips will also be on the stage; and ASML still cannot sell EUV lithography machines. SMIC's technological breakthrough has lost its practical significance, and the 3nm chip is nowhere in sight.
That's why it is said that everything is ready in this situation, and only the wind is owed. As long as you buy the EUV lithography machine, SMIC can rise with domestic chips!
Write at the end
Although ASML's EUV lithography machine will certainly not easily let go of restrictions, and SMIC is not so easy to buy, but SMIC's breakthrough to 3nm chips is good news in itself. Although there is no EUV lithography machine in China, I believe that domestic semiconductor companies will continue to improve like SMIC!
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