One of the more interesting conversations is how China is managing its chipmaking endeavors with the U.S. export controls in place that bar the country from getting its hands on cutting-edge EUV equipment from Dutch manufacturer ASML. This massive roadblock has forced the country’s biggest semiconductor foundries to resort to using multi-patterning techniques with DUV machinery, but German manufacturer Zeiss CEO Frank Rohmund states that this won’t help propel the region from a commercial standpoint.
China’s advanced node capability to remain at 7nm at a commercial stage, says Zeiss’ Chief Executive; 5nm is possible, but significantly more complex
Strict rules set by governments prevent companies like Zeiss and ASML from shipping EUV paraphernalia to China, which will stifle the country’s progress moving forward. As TSMC races ahead with 2nm production, Rohmund believes that China’s manufacturing capabilities will be limited to the 7nm node, but there’s still a sliver of hope for the country.
While Rohmund states that even without EUV, China can use DUV to reach 5nm-class chips using multi-patterning, the obvious drawbacks are complex manufacturing, low yields, and increased costs. Zeiss’ Chief Executive says that this approach is only viable if the government steps in to support these projects with large subsidies.
Other than this option, China’s commercial rise will remain limited, concluding that EUV is the only healthier option to maintain global competitiveness. Viewing Huawei’s Kirin 9030 as an example, which was fabricated using SMIC’s 7nm N+3 node, the process uses a tighter metal pitch than Intel’s 18A, and competes with the EUV-made N6 from TSMC.
Even then, the Kirin 9030 struggles in performance and power, with Apple’s low-power efficiency cores capable of outpacing the prime cores by a considerable margin, all while consuming a measly 1W. Huawei has claimed that its LogicFolding packaging can bring 1.4nm-class chipsets by 2031, but the company will once again be limited by complex manufacturing, low yields, and increased costs.
Earlier reports stating that China would begin trial production of its in-house EUV machines in 2025 have provided no follow-ups, with these claims simply fizzling into nothing. Slowly, we think that the region’s competitive gap will begin to increase without EUV machinery, unless it finds a way to circumvent the U.S. export controls through smuggling or through any other illicit means.
News Source: DigiTimes
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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