Huawei managed to attract the attention of the USA by using the 5G-supported Kirin 9000 chipset in the Mate 60 series. This chipset, developed with a Chinese company called SMIC, led the company to receive new research from the USA. Latest reports show that SMIC has gone one step further and developed a 3nm processor.
Has SMIC developed the 3nm chip design?
According to new reports from Asia, China’s largest chipmaker (SMIC) is actively exploring 3nm chips. It was stated that R&D studies for 5nm and 3nm technologies continue under the leadership of company CEO Liang Mong-Song.
This move is actually important in a wide range of areas, from smart phones to the computer world. Restricted by US sanctions, SMIC uses deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography instead of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) tools.
ASML’s advanced EUV tools, which provide equipment to chip manufacturers, cannot be sold to Chinese companies. SMIC, which is under great obstacles in this context, is developing methods such as “multiple patterning” to reach finer resolutions.
The chip equipment SMIC currently uses can produce 7nm chips. Triple or quadruple patterning could make 3nm chips possible without EUV tools, although it would create higher cost and complexity. This may enable Huawei to catch up with processors like the Apple A17 Pro.
SMIC recently introduced its second generation 7nm process. The progress in 5nm and 3nm will reveal what can be done with DUV tools.
So what do you think about this issue? Don’t forget to express your opinions in the comments section…
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