SMIC making progress towards 5nm chip tech
China's leading foundry Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation is reported to be closing in on 5-nanometer mode manufacturing in spite of US sanctions.
Reporting in Digitimes says SMIC is currently expanding its 12-inch wafer production lines to meet the production needs of Huawei's 7nm and upcoming 5nm chips. The story quotes an analyst who says SMIC and Huawei have become the biggest beneficiaries of the government's subsidy policies to counter US restrictions.
He says SMIC is through the worst of the sanctions effect. After many quarters of decline, SMIC is in line to report a 2% quarter-on-quarter revenue increase for the first quarter of 2024, reaching approximately US 1.71 billion. He adds that SMIC's monthly wafer production capacity has increased from 714,000 wafers in the fourth quarter of 2022 to 805,500 wafers in the same period of 2023.
The reporting asserts that SMIC's 7-nanometer process, which uses multi-patterning technology, has a yield rate of less than 50% – well below the 90% industry norm. But it believes the tech is improving fast.
