Opinionated - China Chipping Away to Semiconductor Dominance

[obj 705A]

US death toll at 87,000; 1,059,000 active cases; 36.5 million jobless in 8 weeks.

Is NOW the best time to restart the trade war with China?

In late March, Huawei rotating Chairman Eric Xu warned that China will retaliate should the U.S. move to restrict sales by TSMC to his company. “I don’t think the Chinese government will just watch and let Huawei be slaughtered on a chopping board. I believe the Chinese government will also take some countermeasures,” he said.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...s-rules-to-crack-down-on-huawei-s-chip-supply

https://twitter.com/x/status/1261250635371909120

indeed America is now at it's weakest point since more than a hundred years, this is the right time for China to strike while the iron is hot, I believe this is the right time to destroy America, America's economy in the second quarter will be devastated, in the second quarter the US will be f***ed, therefore if China would impose harsh sanctions on the US then the US won't have a V shaped recovery, dumb@ss people say the pandemic will make it harder for China's economy to surpass that of the US but the exact opposit is true, Covid-19 will make it easier for China's economy to surpass that of the US earlier than 2030.

 

[ZeEa5KPul]

indeed America is now at it's weakest point since more than a hundred years, this is the right time for China to strike while the iron is hot

Absolutely not. The trend of America's weakness and China's strength is just beginning and will accelerate in the coming years. It's best to have the fight later when China is that much stronger and America is that much more feeble.

 

[antonius123]

Chinese foundry HSMC gearing up for 14nm, 7nm chip production

DIGITIMES
Nov 22, 2019 · 1 min read

Wuhan Hongxin Semiconductor Manufacturing (HSMC), a logic IC foundry founded in late 2017, is gearing up for 14nm and 7nm process manufacturing eyeing to be China’s most advanced contract chipmaker.

Originally published at https://www.digitimes.com on November 22, 2019.

SMIC can make 7nm chips without ASML lithography machine
2020-03-31 20:11:20 GMT+8 | cnTechPost
0 3

Although a 7nm manufacturing process lithography machine has not been introduced from the Netherlands, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) can also use N + 1 process to manufacture chips close to 7nm process, according to Tencent Tech.

Recently, SMIC said that N + 1 process chips will be mass-produced by the end of the year.


Earlier, there were media reports that SMIC Integrated Circuit Manufacturing (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. successfully imported a large lithography machine from the Netherlands.

However, this lithography machine is not a rumored 7nm lithography machine, and the manufacturing process is only a medium level. Of course, as the most critical equipment in integrated circuit manufacturing, lithography machines have a decisive influence on the chip manufacturing process.

Compared with 14nm, the N + 1 process reduces power consumption by 57%, reduces the logic area by 63%, and reduces the SOC area by 55%. This translates to a 7nm chip that can be compared to TSMC. In other words, we can make 7nm chips without ASML's EUV lithography machine.

This means that SMIC has become the third chip company in the world to master processes below 10 nanometers.

For a long time, TSMC has dominated this market and has the absolute right to speak. The competition between SMIC and TSMC has been repeatedly frustrated.


But unexpectedly, SMIC did not give up. Today, SMIC is a 7nm DUV process. Although the cost is higher than EUV, at least it solves the problem from scratch.

If SMIC successfully mass-produces 7nm process chips, it will undoubtedly allow Chinese-made chips to have more and more right to speak.

https://cntechpost.com/2020/03/31/smic-can-make-7nm-chips-without-asml/

 

[艹艹艹]

Goke Micro's new SSD controller launched, adapted to Yangtze Memory 128 layer chip - cnTechPost
2020-05-11 19:47:40 GMT+8 | cnTechPost

The GK2302V200 series of Goke Microelectronics' new generation solid state drive controllers are equipped with the third generation NANDXtra engine and are fully adaptable to 128 layers of TLC and QLC chip for efficient and secure data storage experience.

Goke Microelectronics' new solid-state drive controller GK2302V200 Series Introduced, Fully Adapted to 128-Layer Chip Including Yangtze Memory

Goke Microelectronics continues to push the boundaries of iterative SSD controller upgrades with the GK2302V200 series, which supports a variety of 2D MLC/TLC, 3D MLC/TLC/QLC flash chips and is compatible with Yangtze Memory's latest 128-layer 3D TLC/QLC chips.

The Goke Microelectronics GK2302V200 is equipped with a domestic embedded CPU IP core, demonstrating the concept of "China Design"; it supports SATA 3.2 standard interface and maximum reading bandwidth of 550MB/s.

Goke Microelectronics' third generation NANDXtra reliability engine, enhanced LDPC engine and Multi Group RAID protection to enhance NAND chip life; 2-channel flash memory interface, support Toggle 2.0 & ONFI 4.0 interface protocol, interface bandwidth 533MT/s; maximum 2TB capacity.

GK2302V200 supports national SM2, SM3, SM4 algorithms and RSA2048/SHA-256/AES-256 to provide comprehensive security of data encryption.

It has passed the National Secret Level 1 certification and National Information Security EAL-3 certification, ensuring reliability, stability and performance.

 

[ZeEa5KPul]

I think the most important thing for China right now is securing access to EUV machines, 7nm is the end of the line for DUV. I heard a rumour that the Changchun Institute of Optics has a 125W EUV machine prototype, does anyone know anything about that?

 

[antonius123]

I think the most important thing for China right now is securing access to EUV machines, 7nm is the end of the line for DUV. I heard a rumour that the Changchun Institute of Optics has a 125W EUV machine prototype, does anyone know anything about that?

Key technologies of extreme ultraviolet lithography has past the final acceptance

In June 21, 2017, the final acceptance meeting of “the research on the key technologies of extreme ultraviolet(EUV) lithography”, which is one project of the “Manufacturing equipment and complete process of very large scale integrated circuit” project supported by National Science and Technology Major Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, was held in Changchun Institute of Optics, fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences(CIOMP). The office of administration for implementing major project organized the meeting. The panel experts fully recognized the achievements of the project and approved the final acceptance of the project. The successful implementation of the project is an important step forward in the development of Chinese EUV lithography technology.

EUV lithography is a kind of projection lithography using the 13.5nm wavelength light. It is a reasonable extension of traditional lithography towards shorter wavelength. As the next generation of lithography, EUV lithography has been entrusted with the mission to save Moore's law. EUV lithography technology represents the highest level of applied optics. As a prospective research, this project consists of project indicators with highest standards, technical difficulties with tremendous bottlenecks, high innovation, as well as the serious technical blockade from developed countries.

Since 1990s, CIOMP has been focused on the research of EUV/X-ray imaging technology, especially in EUV light source, ultra-smooth surface polishing technology, EUV multilayer and correlation technology. And those aforesaid techniques form the applicative foundation of EUV optics. In 2002, the first EUV lithography prototype in China was developed, which verified the EUV lithography in principle. In 2008, EUV lithography technology was listed as a key research task in "32-22nm equipment technology forward-looking research" by the major project. CIOMP carried out the project of “The research on the key technologies of extreme ultraviolet lithography” as a leading organization, together with partners such as CAS Institute of Optics and Electronics, CAS Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, CAS Institute Microelectronics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology.

The research team insisted the scientific spirit of perseverance, concentrates on the research, and accumulates propound knowledge. With eight years’ hard work, they have mastered a series of core technologies that limit the development of Chinese EUV lithography, such as ultrahigh accuracy aspheric mirror fabrication and testing, EUV multilayer, projection system integration and test, etc. A two-mirror EUVL objective system with the wave-front aberration better than 0.75 nm RMS was developed successfully, and a EUV lithography exposure apparatus was constructed. Using the apparatus, they achieved the first photoresist exposure pattern with 32 nm linewidth by EUV lithography in China. They established a relatively perfect research and development platform for key technology of exposure optical system, complete successfully the research contents and tasks of national major project, achieve leapfrog development in EUV optical imaging technology, and enhance significantly the core technologies of Chinese EUV lithography. At the same time, the implementation of the project contributed the establishment of a stable research team, and trained talents for our country to achieve sustainable development in the next generation lithography technology.

Group photo taken in the final acceptance meeting scene( Photo by CIOMP)

http://english.ciomp.cas.cn/News/News_son/201708/t20170810_181864.html

 

[ZeEa5KPul]

Key technologies of extreme ultraviolet lithography has past the final acceptance

In June 21, 2017, the final acceptance meeting of “the research on the key technologies of extreme ultraviolet(EUV) lithography”, which is one project of the “Manufacturing equipment and complete process of very large scale integrated circuit” project supported by National Science and Technology Major Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, was held in Changchun Institute of Optics, fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences(CIOMP). The office of administration for implementing major project organized the meeting. The panel experts fully recognized the achievements of the project and approved the final acceptance of the project. The successful implementation of the project is an important step forward in the development of Chinese EUV lithography technology.

EUV lithography is a kind of projection lithography using the 13.5nm wavelength light. It is a reasonable extension of traditional lithography towards shorter wavelength. As the next generation of lithography, EUV lithography has been entrusted with the mission to save Moore's law. EUV lithography technology represents the highest level of applied optics. As a prospective research, this project consists of project indicators with highest standards, technical difficulties with tremendous bottlenecks, high innovation, as well as the serious technical blockade from developed countries.

Since 1990s, CIOMP has been focused on the research of EUV/X-ray imaging technology, especially in EUV light source, ultra-smooth surface polishing technology, EUV multilayer and correlation technology. And those aforesaid techniques form the applicative foundation of EUV optics. In 2002, the first EUV lithography prototype in China was developed, which verified the EUV lithography in principle. In 2008, EUV lithography technology was listed as a key research task in "32-22nm equipment technology forward-looking research" by the major project. CIOMP carried out the project of “The research on the key technologies of extreme ultraviolet lithography” as a leading organization, together with partners such as CAS Institute of Optics and Electronics, CAS Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, CAS Institute Microelectronics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology.

The research team insisted the scientific spirit of perseverance, concentrates on the research, and accumulates propound knowledge. With eight years’ hard work, they have mastered a series of core technologies that limit the development of Chinese EUV lithography, such as ultrahigh accuracy aspheric mirror fabrication and testing, EUV multilayer, projection system integration and test, etc. A two-mirror EUVL objective system with the wave-front aberration better than 0.75 nm RMS was developed successfully, and a EUV lithography exposure apparatus was constructed. Using the apparatus, they achieved the first photoresist exposure pattern with 32 nm linewidth by EUV lithography in China. They established a relatively perfect research and development platform for key technology of exposure optical system, complete successfully the research contents and tasks of national major project, achieve leapfrog development in EUV optical imaging technology, and enhance significantly the core technologies of Chinese EUV lithography. At the same time, the implementation of the project contributed the establishment of a stable research team, and trained talents for our country to achieve sustainable development in the next generation lithography technology.

Group photo taken in the final acceptance meeting scene( Photo by CIOMP)

http://english.ciomp.cas.cn/News/News_son/201708/t20170810_181864.html

Thanks for the article. Unfortunately, it still seems to be a lab project, not even a production prototype. Granted, this was 3 years ago but still. Getting this EUV machine up and running is China's greatest industrial priority.

 

[antonius123]

Thanks for the article. Unfortunately, it still seems to be a lab project, not even a production prototype. Granted, this was 3 years ago but still. Getting this EUV machine up and running is China's greatest industrial priority.

The article already said:
In 2002, the first EUV lithography prototype in China was developed, which verified the EUV lithography in principle. In 2008, EUV lithography technology was listed as a key research task in "32-22nm equipment technology forward-looking research" by the major project.

So the prototype was already available in China - 18 years ago.

 

[JSCh]

World's No. 2 memory module vendor starts using ChangXin Memory's DDR4 chips - cnTechPost
2020-05-21 18:44:08 GMT+8 | cnTechPost

ADATA Technology, the world's second largest vendor of memory modules, today announced that it will use ChangXin Memory's high-quality, high-performance memory chips, including desktop-level U-DIMMs and notebook-level SO-DIMMs, in the Chinese market.

They will be paired with ADATA Technology's stringent compatibility testing standards and will be perfectly compatible with a wide range of desktops and notebooks on the market today.

ADATA Technology will also continue to launch a variety of Chinese-made chips for gaming, overclocking, and the industry, to fully meet the needs of mainstream users, gaming players, overclockers, and professional users.

According to ADATA Technology, ChangXin Memory's 8Gb DDR4 memory chips have been optimized for the 10nm process, and the process has reached the international mainstream level and complies with JEDEC design and production specifications and RoHS environmental standards.

ADATA Technology has conducted a series of compatibility tests on the ChangXin Memory chip. Whether it is Intel, AMD's mainstream or the latest platform, whether it is a single-channel or dual-channel mode, it has passed all the tests successfully and the memory chip has been carefully screened with the expected overclocking potential.

With ADATA Technology's long history in the domestic storage market, good relationships with upstream and downstream partners, and channel marketing resources, ChangXin Memory can rely on such a big tree, the future is bright.

The ChangXin Memory chip-based optical gaming PRO memory products are now available for sale, with a single 8/16GB capacity, 3000MHz frequency, timing 16-18-18-38, no heat saddle required.

At the end of February this year, ChangXin Memory announced that its own DDR4 memory chips, DDR4 memory strips, and LPDDR4 memory chips, which meet international standards and specifications, are now fully available.

This is also the first time that DDR4 memory is truly domestic and is manufactured using China's first generation 10nm process.

 

[Faith_Lock]

World's No. 2 memory module vendor starts using ChangXin Memory's DDR4 chips - cnTechPost
2020-05-21 18:44:08 GMT+8 | cnTechPost

ADATA Technology, the world's second largest vendor of memory modules, today announced that it will use ChangXin Memory's high-quality, high-performance memory chips, including desktop-level U-DIMMs and notebook-level SO-DIMMs, in the Chinese market.

They will be paired with ADATA Technology's stringent compatibility testing standards and will be perfectly compatible with a wide range of desktops and notebooks on the market today.

ADATA Technology will also continue to launch a variety of Chinese-made chips for gaming, overclocking, and the industry, to fully meet the needs of mainstream users, gaming players, overclockers, and professional users.

According to ADATA Technology, ChangXin Memory's 8Gb DDR4 memory chips have been optimized for the 10nm process, and the process has reached the international mainstream level and complies with JEDEC design and production specifications and RoHS environmental standards.

ADATA Technology has conducted a series of compatibility tests on the ChangXin Memory chip. Whether it is Intel, AMD's mainstream or the latest platform, whether it is a single-channel or dual-channel mode, it has passed all the tests successfully and the memory chip has been carefully screened with the expected overclocking potential.

With ADATA Technology's long history in the domestic storage market, good relationships with upstream and downstream partners, and channel marketing resources, ChangXin Memory can rely on such a big tree, the future is bright.

The ChangXin Memory chip-based optical gaming PRO memory products are now available for sale, with a single 8/16GB capacity, 3000MHz frequency, timing 16-18-18-38, no heat saddle required.

At the end of February this year, ChangXin Memory announced that its own DDR4 memory chips, DDR4 memory strips, and LPDDR4 memory chips, which meet international standards and specifications, are now fully available.

This is also the first time that DDR4 memory is truly domestic and is manufactured using China's first generation 10nm process.

Interesting, wondering how they can do the 10nm process. Also wondering if they can expand it to other devices (to support Huawei).

 

[JSCh]

Dipping technique makes high-performance carbon nanotube circuits
Method produces array of aligned, semiconducting carbon nanotubes for next-gen computer chips
by Neil Savage, special to C&EN
MAY 21, 2020

The ability to shrink silicon circuits in order to cram more of them onto chips and make ever higher performing computers, phones, and other gadgets is rapidly approaching its physical limit. Supplementing or replacing the silicon with carbon nanotubes could allow computing power to keep growing, but the tubes are tiny, tricky things to work with. Now a team in China has developed a method to collect the best carbon nanotubes and line them up in a way that will let them build new types of chips (Science, 2020, DOI: 10.1126/science.aba5980).

....

Dipping technique makes high-performance carbon nanotube circuits | Chemical & Engineering News

 

[antonius123]

SMIC makes major move to complete its 7nm & 8nm processes
Efe Udin May 26, 2020


In recent times, Chinese chip maker, SMIC has been in the news for multiple reasons. The company is currently in charge of Huawei’s Kirin 710A processor. This chip uses SMIC’s 14nm process and clocks 2.0GHz. This lower version of the Kirin 710 is a milestone achievement for China’s semiconductor chip technology.

SMIC is the only foundry company in China that can provide a 14-nanometer process. In the face of the recent US ban, it is now a “go-to” company for many Chinese OEMs. Recent reports show that Shanghai SMIC’s 14nm chip is swiftly moving to full capacity. However, the company is already looking forward to other advanced processes.

SMIC’s 7nm process has been in development for a long time. However, due to the lack of high-end lithography machines, the progress of research and development has been slow.

Join GizChina on Telegram
Employees of SMIC’s 14nm production line revealed that SMIC’s 7 ~ 8nm research and development progress is not very fast because of lack of equipment. This also means that the end-product is not presentable. An anonymous source said

“To complete, we may need three or four steps. The lack of high-end lithography machines is the most critical problem. Except for lithography machines, our current equipment can solve the other issues”

Well, SMIC recently imported a huge lithography machine from the Netherlands. While this machine will go a long way to solve its problems, it is not a EUV lithography machine.

SMIC gets some investments
On May 15, SMIC announced on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange that it, the National Integrated Circuit Fund, and other parties have entered into new joint venture contracts and new capital expansion agreements. The National Integrated Circuit Fund II and Shanghai Integrated Circuit Fund II (China SMIC’s new shareholders) agreed to inject $1.5 billion and $750 million into SMIC ’s registered capital, respectively.

With this, SMIC’s registered capital will increase from $ 3.5 billion to $ 6.5 billion. SMIC will have a huge production capacity and will obviously deliver more advanced processes. Presently, SMIC has a monthly production capacity of 6,000 14-nanometer wafers. Its goal is to achieve a monthly production capacity of 35,000 14-nanometer wafers.

https://www.gizchina.com/2020/05/26/smic-makes-major-move-to-complete-its-7nm-8nm-processes/

 

[letsrock]

SMIC makes major move to complete its 7nm & 8nm processes
Efe Udin May 26, 2020


In recent times, Chinese chip maker, SMIC has been in the news for multiple reasons. The company is currently in charge of Huawei’s Kirin 710A processor. This chip uses SMIC’s 14nm process and clocks 2.0GHz. This lower version of the Kirin 710 is a milestone achievement for China’s semiconductor chip technology.

SMIC is the only foundry company in China that can provide a 14-nanometer process. In the face of the recent US ban, it is now a “go-to” company for many Chinese OEMs. Recent reports show that Shanghai SMIC’s 14nm chip is swiftly moving to full capacity. However, the company is already looking forward to other advanced processes.

SMIC’s 7nm process has been in development for a long time. However, due to the lack of high-end lithography machines, the progress of research and development has been slow.

Join GizChina on Telegram
Employees of SMIC’s 14nm production line revealed that SMIC’s 7 ~ 8nm research and development progress is not very fast because of lack of equipment. This also means that the end-product is not presentable. An anonymous source said

“To complete, we may need three or four steps. The lack of high-end lithography machines is the most critical problem. Except for lithography machines, our current equipment can solve the other issues”

Well, SMIC recently imported a huge lithography machine from the Netherlands. While this machine will go a long way to solve its problems, it is not a EUV lithography machine.

SMIC gets some investments
On May 15, SMIC announced on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange that it, the National Integrated Circuit Fund, and other parties have entered into new joint venture contracts and new capital expansion agreements. The National Integrated Circuit Fund II and Shanghai Integrated Circuit Fund II (China SMIC’s new shareholders) agreed to inject $1.5 billion and $750 million into SMIC ’s registered capital, respectively.

With this, SMIC’s registered capital will increase from $ 3.5 billion to $ 6.5 billion. SMIC will have a huge production capacity and will obviously deliver more advanced processes. Presently, SMIC has a monthly production capacity of 6,000 14-nanometer wafers. Its goal is to achieve a monthly production capacity of 35,000 14-nanometer wafers.

https://www.gizchina.com/2020/05/26/smic-makes-major-move-to-complete-its-7nm-8nm-processes/

But whats the failure rate ? i heard its as high as 70 percent coming from SMIC.

 

[Han Patriot]

But whats the failure rate ? i heard its as high as 70 percent coming from SMIC.

Most likely using DUV double exposure to create 7nm. Will increase the cost and reduce efficiency but China has no choice until Euv is completed.

 

[Beast]

SMIC makes major move to complete its 7nm & 8nm processes
Efe Udin May 26, 2020


In recent times, Chinese chip maker, SMIC has been in the news for multiple reasons. The company is currently in charge of Huawei’s Kirin 710A processor. This chip uses SMIC’s 14nm process and clocks 2.0GHz. This lower version of the Kirin 710 is a milestone achievement for China’s semiconductor chip technology.

SMIC is the only foundry company in China that can provide a 14-nanometer process. In the face of the recent US ban, it is now a “go-to” company for many Chinese OEMs. Recent reports show that Shanghai SMIC’s 14nm chip is swiftly moving to full capacity. However, the company is already looking forward to other advanced processes.

SMIC’s 7nm process has been in development for a long time. However, due to the lack of high-end lithography machines, the progress of research and development has been slow.

Join GizChina on Telegram
Employees of SMIC’s 14nm production line revealed that SMIC’s 7 ~ 8nm research and development progress is not very fast because of lack of equipment. This also means that the end-product is not presentable. An anonymous source said

“To complete, we may need three or four steps. The lack of high-end lithography machines is the most critical problem. Except for lithography machines, our current equipment can solve the other issues”

Well, SMIC recently imported a huge lithography machine from the Netherlands. While this machine will go a long way to solve its problems, it is not a EUV lithography machine.

SMIC gets some investments
On May 15, SMIC announced on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange that it, the National Integrated Circuit Fund, and other parties have entered into new joint venture contracts and new capital expansion agreements. The National Integrated Circuit Fund II and Shanghai Integrated Circuit Fund II (China SMIC’s new shareholders) agreed to inject $1.5 billion and $750 million into SMIC ’s registered capital, respectively.

With this, SMIC’s registered capital will increase from $ 3.5 billion to $ 6.5 billion. SMIC will have a huge production capacity and will obviously deliver more advanced processes. Presently, SMIC has a monthly production capacity of 6,000 14-nanometer wafers. Its goal is to achieve a monthly production capacity of 35,000 14-nanometer wafers.

https://www.gizchina.com/2020/05/26/smic-makes-major-move-to-complete-its-7nm-8nm-processes/

Take any report from telegraph regards to China with a pinch of salt. I do know they selectively pick and omit things from Chinese translation article.

SMIC already confirmed 7nm Q4 2020 ,no problem for Huawei. It's more problem for next gen or smaller nm chipset.