[News] Breakthrough in China’s Domestic DUV Equipment to 8nm? Experts Call It a Misunderstanding

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Recent reports of breakthroughs in China’s chip manufacturing equipment have gained attention, with rumors suggesting that China’s domestically-made DUV equipment can produce chips at 8nm and below. Some companies have also applied for EUV equipment patents. However, according to a report by the Central News Agency, experts believe these claims are questionable, emphasizing that production yield is the real key.

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology recently released a guidance catalog for promoting major technological equipment. Two lithography machines listed have been interpreted by some as a sign of significant technological progress, sparking claims that China can now produce 8nm and more advanced nodes.

Meanwhile, German media outlet Deutsche Welle reported that Shanghai Micro Electronics applied for a series of EUV-related patents, which may indicate the ability to manufacture chips at 7nm and below.

Huawei’s flagship Mate 60 Pro, launched last year, was reportedly equipped with SMIC’s self-made 7nm chips. Earlier this year, rumors suggested SMIC had successfully produced 5nm chips without EUV machines, which would be used in Huawei’s Mate 70 series set for release later this year. These claims have resurfaced in light of recent developments.

Talks of China breaking through U.S. tech barriers have caught the attention of both domestic and international markets, with many Chinese netizens celebrating on social media. However, while the public cheers, official responses have remained muted. Aside from the ministry’s guidance catalog, no Chinese authorities or companies have confirmed the breakthrough, nor have any real-world applications been showcased.

In reality, since the start of the U.S.-China tech war, China has often hinted at “breaking through technological blockades,” but the results have been largely inconclusive.

Take SMEE, for instance. In June 2020, it announced that it would deliver China’s first domestically-made 28nm immersion lithography machine between 2021 and 2022, model SSA/800-10W. However, the news soon faded. By May 2023, rumors resurfaced that the 28nm machine was nearing completion, and by December, Zhangjiang Group in Shanghai claimed via its official WeChat account that SMEE had successfully developed the 28nm lithography machine. The post was deleted shortly afterward.

As of now, the SSA/800-10W has yet to appear on SMEE’s official product list.

According to a report by Chinese semiconductor media IC SMART, the lithography machine specifications recently released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology show improvements over SMEE’s SSA600 model. However, they still fall short of the capability to produce 28nm chips, let alone 8nm or 7nm chips. The rumors likely stem from a misunderstanding of what the specifications actually mean.

Additionally, a Reuters report from September last year noted that the yield rate for SMIC’s 7nm process was below 50%, whereas the industry standard is 90% or higher. This would significantly constrain chip shipments and impact smartphone production.

(Photo credit: SMEE)