Chinese semiconductor thread II
- Thread starter vincent
- Start date
Ok, from what we know SMIC had received ASML NXT2050i or even a few NXT2100 that can do 5nm using QUAD Patterning also known as self-aligned quadruple patterning (SAQP), involves applying double patterning (SADP) twice to effectively reduce feature size by a factor of four. To produced a masterpieces you need tools BUT the most important is the one who used that tool and SMIC had a master craftsman in Liang Mong Song.
5nm production will surely be handled by SMIC Shanghai, while Huawei will focus on the indigenous 7nm line together with SMIC Beijing FAB, this collaboration will be continued on the 3nm chip with Huawei concentrating in the EUV components while SMIC will verify, testing and validate the machine since they will be the end user.
So what about SMEE? From What I know and from the grapevine, Huawei had invested in the development of future improved iteration of SSA800A and the Mythical SSA900A, an analogous to NXT 2050i. As we know Huawei Hubble had invested in a lot of component companies like RS LASER, EDA and also SiCarrier which has a patent for a process to produced a 5nm chips plus a whole lineup for 7nm nodes.
May 14, 2025 — SiCarrier was placed on the US export control list in late 2024 over its reported links to Huawei. The company declined to comment on the matter ...
If Huawei can do even 14nm finfet it means SMIC already licensed out the process tech to Huawei.
Then it's possible SMIC licensed out the 7nm, 5nm as well.
Huawei then use this licensed out tech to do manufacturing at its own fabs.
This way, SMIC doesn't have to rid of a more stable 7nm line to switch to a more risky 5nm line.
Remember SMIC has to do alot of ascend chip in its 7nm line. It can't afford rid of some its capacity to the more risky 5nm line.
Remember SMIC still has the 12nm/14nm besides the 7nm.
I doubt they have the capacity to switch to 5nm.
Half of them are being produced at SMIC SN1 FAB since 2019 the excess capacity after completing its expansion maybe use for 7nm line
SMIC's SN1 fab is a crucial manufacturing facility for Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), primarily known for its production of 14nm-class chips. It is located in South China, near Shanghai, and is a significant part of SMIC's broader R&D and production efforts, particularly for 14nm and sub-10nm processes. SN1, along with SN2, is a major platform for SMIC's advanced manufacturing capabilities.
A Convoluted Announcement
Truth to be told, SMIC has been producing chips using its 14nm-class manufacturing technology (one of the products is Huawei's ) at its SN1 fab. Still, while formally the process caters to mass production, actual volumes were so small that at some point the company ceased to report the contribution of the node to its revenue and merged it into one category with its 28nm node, which has not been a massive contributor to the company's earnings either.- Advancement to 7nm and 5nm:
While SMIC has been focused on 14nm-class production at SN1, they are also advancing with their 7nm and 5nm-class nodes, .
Sep 16, 2022 — SMIC has been producing chips using its 14nm-class manufacturing technology since late 2019 (one of the products is Huawei's HiSilicon Kirin 710A) at its SN1 ...
Maybe at SMIC SN2 FAB
Huawei is not using SMIC process Tech.. they have own FinFet tech and Patents. which is more efficient and has better density as compared to traditional FinFet. Huawei also has CFET related patents that include improved density and structure. they are doing solid research in semiconductor structure field.
as i said earlier, SMIC and Huawei both running their advanced nodes programs in parallel.
Patents are different. They more of demonstration of concepts.
Process tech is much more involved and detailed. They are the blueprint of building the chip. I could be wrong but suspecting huawei licensing out . I am under the impression only Liang Mong Song and his team has the finfet process tech in China
''only Liang Mong Song and his team has the finfet process tech in China''
this is not true.
Huahong was planning to start FinFet process but due to sanctions they postponed the plan.
Huawei FinFet tech is from 2022-2023 time period. they actually demonstrate and said it is better than traditional FinFet in efficiency and density and i never heard, SMIC licensed out process tech to Huawei. not even a whisper from any source.
now we have the news, Huawei has advanced fabs. there are strong chances they are using self developed process tech based on the papers we have seen in past few years.
I wonder if these MediaTek key people are working in China or moved to Taiwan. Would be more secure if they stayed in China. I mean Taiwan is already preventing their engineers from going to the mainland for jobs.