SMIC Reportedly Pursuing Its 5nm Technology Using DUV, Could Be Utilized For Huawei’s Next Kirin SoC, But Will Be Highly Costly

wccftech.com:

SMIC may not be limited to the 7nm process soon, as a new report states that the Chinese semiconductor is pushing forward with its 5nm technology. However, instead of manufacturers such as TSMC that use advanced EUV machinery, SMIC is being forced to mass produce those ‘cutting-edge’ wafers on its existing DUV equipment, which will likely become a costly venture for the company.

With Huawei expected to launch the P70, P70 Pro, and P70 Art next year, the former Chinese giant needs to remain competitive with the market in terms of advanced silicon. Despite the Kirin 9000S being a 7nm SoC, it was still considered a breakthrough achievement because of the sanctions placed on both Huawei and SMIC by the U.S. However, both companies are required to keep pace with manufacturers like TSMC and Samsung to stay relevant in this industry.

According to The Elec, an unnamed industry official has said that the parts supply for the deep ultraviolet process (DUV) cannot keep up with demand in China, and this particular market is expected to increase further. In addition, he mentions that SMIC is preparing its 5nm process through DUV, and the photomask usage is expected to increase further.

Since the U.S. has barred firms such as Dutch-based ASML from supplying next-generation EUV machinery to China to stifle the competition, SMIC has little choice but to proceed with the 5nm process using DUV equipment. We have reported that a former TSMC executive has stated that it is possible for both Huawei and SMIC to make a 5nm SoC, but with the existing machinery, it will be time-consuming, will produce a lower yield, and will be highly expensive.

The report does not dive into the expected yield of SMIC’s 5nm process using the current DUV hardware,