Recently, the industry is full of expectations for SMIC's upcoming iteration of a domestic chip using the N+2/3 process. This process not only marks a major progress in domestic self-developed chip manufacturing technology, but also reflects China's competitiveness in the global semiconductor industry.
In the globalized semiconductor industry, every advancement in the manufacturing process can trigger a reshuffle of the industry. Recently, a news about SMIC's upcoming mass production of a chip using N+2/3 process has attracted widespread attention in the industry. This event not only marks a major progress in domestic self-developed chip manufacturing technology, but also reflects China's competitiveness in the global semiconductor industry.
The revelation came from the well-known digital product leaking account @Digichat.com, which is known in the industry for providing accurate digital product information and insider information. But as soon as the news came out, it caused widespread discussion in the industry. @Shumaxianliaozhan, it has a large following on social media, and its revelations usually have some credibility. The account is run by a group of people who have in-depth research and understanding of digital products, and they are often able to access industry information that has not yet been made public, and share it with care.
Figure: Digital Chat Station broke the news that SMIC's domestic chips will use the N+2 process
In response to the news, China Exportsemi Web will give its own analysis and views from multiple angles, aiming to help our readers and friends understand the influence behind the incident more comprehensively:
1. Technical characteristics of N+2 process
SMIC's N+2 process is an advanced manufacturing technology with similar performance to TSMC's 7nm process. TechInsights' teardown analysis shows that Huawei's Kirin 9000s processor uses SMIC's N+2 process, which not only confirms that SMIC already has the production capacity of 7nm chips, but also shows that China's semiconductor industry can still achieve technological breakthroughs even in the absence of EUV lithography machines.
2. the competitiveness of domestic chips
This domestic chip, which is based on SMIC's N+2 process, is said to be stronger than Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+, and its target performance is aimed at Snapdragon 8 Gen2. This shows that domestic chips are gradually narrowing the gap with international manufacturers in terms of performance, and even surpassing them in some fields.
3. the significance of process innovation
SMIC's "5nm-equivalent" process through DUV multiple exposure technology is an innovation in semiconductor manufacturing. The application of this technology not only improves the performance and energy efficiency of domestic chips, but also provides diversified options for the global semiconductor supply chain.
4. the impact on the global semiconductor supply chain
The successful mass production of SMIC's N+2 process is expected to have a significant impact on the global semiconductor supply chain. Against the backdrop of the continued growth of global chip demand, SMIC's progress will help alleviate the chip shortage and promote the development and innovation of global semiconductor technology.
5. the future prospect of domestic chips
Although there is still a certain gap in the comprehensive performance of domestic self-developed chips compared with Qualcomm's upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen4, the successful application of SMIC's N+2 process has undoubtedly laid a solid foundation for the future development of domestic chips. With the continuous progress of technology and the gradual recognition of the market, domestic chips are expected to occupy a more important position in the global semiconductor industry.
6. Conclusions
The upcoming mass production of SMIC's N+2 process is a milestone in the development of China's semiconductor industry. This not only demonstrates China's technological strength and innovation capabilities in the semiconductor field, but also contributes to the stability and diversification of the global semiconductor supply chain. In the future, with the continuous maturity of technology and the continuous expansion of applications, domestic chips are expected to play a more important role in the global market.
