China's SMIC producing 7nm chips is a breakthrough but experts suggest yields are low due to lacking EUV; SMIC must now decide if it wants to mass produce 7nm
they are using extra exposure to make up for the lack of EUV,” says Douglas Fuller, an expert on the Chinese semiconductor industry. “But it is understood that the yield is terrible.” https://www.ft.com/... @fudaoge : 2/@niubi “The furore over SMIC's progress is quite overblown — they are using extra exposure to make up for the lack of EUV,” says Douglas Fuller... “But it is understood that the yield is terrible.” not a real tech breakthrough if so far far away from commercially viable @jenkspl64 : Terrible yield in production but it is not about profitability, it is all about catching up to TSMC and the West for national pride https://twitter.com/... Murad Ahmed / @muradahmed : And must read commentary by @KathrinHille in @FT on China'a SMIC on whether the latest breakthrough on chips with lead to ramped up production allied to country's strategic goals https://www.ft.com/... @berthofmanecon : Good explainer what the SMIC 7 nanometer breakthrough really meant. First noted by @FuDaoge https://twitter.com/... @berthofmanecon : On SMIC's dilemma—their production process is less efficient—I guess China has little choice but to support it as it has no access to other technologies yet. James Pethokoukis / @jimpethokoukis : “A breakthrough by China's largest chipmaker revealed last month triggered a gasp of surprise among observers outside the industry. ... But how much time and money will SMIC sink into producing its new semiconductor at scale?” https://www.ft.com/...
1/two key pts: Liang vs co-CEO Zhao Haijun: “While Liang wants to continue pushing forward with the development of cutting-edge technology, Zhao has advocated focusing on expanding less advanced capacity to gain market share.” this co-CEO debate has been going on for years https:…
“The furore over SMIC's progress is quite overblown — they are using extra exposure to make up for the lack of EUV,” says Douglas Fuller, an expert on the Chinese semiconductor industry. “But it is understood that the yield is terrible.” https://www.ft.com/...
2/@niubi “The furore over SMIC's progress is quite overblown — they are using extra exposure to make up for the lack of EUV,” says Douglas Fuller... “But it is understood that the yield is terrible.” not a real tech breakthrough if so far far away from commercially viable
Terrible yield in production but it is not about profitability, it is all about catching up to TSMC and the West for national pride https://twitter.com/...
And must read commentary by @KathrinHille in @FT on China'a SMIC on whether the latest breakthrough on chips with lead to ramped up production allied to country's strategic goals https://www.ft.com/...
On SMIC's dilemma—their production process is less efficient—I guess China has little choice but to support it as it has no access to other technologies yet.
“A breakthrough by China's largest chipmaker revealed last month triggered a gasp of surprise among observers outside the industry. ... But how much time and money will SMIC sink into producing its new semiconductor at scale?” https://www.ft.com/...