Apart from metrology and inspection do you think that the other US tools from Lam and AMAT in an advanced fab (7nm) can be replaced by domestic + non American equipments?
Chinese semiconductor industry
- Thread starter Hendrik_2000
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Who knows where pmish-tech and SMIC really are, who knows if they are validating their tools for 14 and 7nm, they have been selling 28nm for many years and tools that work for olders process nodes can be validated for more advanced process nodes, is not one size fit all. There a lot of things that are happening in the Chinese semiconductor industry that is not known to the public, especially regarding the ultrasensitive issue Huawei and SMIC. Like a black hole I can only deduce is black hole by seeing things that are happening around it.
What if KLA can't deliver their tools to your lab, have your lab closed? or find a close enough replacement to KLA? I bet that your lab would have picked the second option and maybe your lab would have found that that others tool can do a good job after a learning curve. Because sometimes tool bias exist, some people in China didn't like to use Chinese made tools not because they were bad but because the other tools are just easier to use with a much lower learning curve.
I know that the same institution who funded Jingce has been worked a lot in AI algorithms and machine learning for this purpose.
again who knows where they are right now.
sir, SMIC Shanghai line is currently expanding. this is confirmed information.
but the question is, from where SMIC will get Non-litho tools for higher nodes.. ?
It's my business to know. I'd like to think I know a little bit about what's going on at my customer's fab. I just usually don't say anything or share basic info. I think I had already 'said' too much today. You can chose to consider what I shared as another piece of info or dismiss it all together and go back to your existing way of working by deducing a black hole's existence through patents, technical paper, and media news.
If KLA can't deliver, the fabs could just halt any expansion and just work with what American tools they already have. And this is clearly what's happening.
Multiple advanced fabs have more scanner capacity than they could utilize. If alternative to American tools is available, no fabs in the right mind would leave the most expensive piece of equipment sitting in crates or in the cleanroom unutilized.
Is that a software update or hardware update？
I recall there was rumor that Huawei bought some second hand Nikon lithography machine，then replaced the laser interferometer on the machine with better one to improve the precision. If that was true，couldn't they do the same with ASML machines？
I do agree that you provide good information and I not disputing that, but I don't think you have access to sensible parts of the Chinese semiconductors industry, especially of companies that are avoiding any scrutiny and much much less if you are not mainland Chinese.
Of course they can be replaced, eventually. I only know what I see and hear of what's happening at fabs. They are working on qualifying a complete domestic 28nm non-litho line now....not at the 7nm level yet. If all goes well, 28nm this year, 14nm next year, then 7nm.
domestic replacement for 7nm American equipment will not happen this year.
they will not expand capacity output. advanced scanners will sit in crates until domestic advanced process tools are ready. now, they are just hoarding advanced scanners while they still can.
hardware
rumors.
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