by SMICCN
SMIC's advanced logic on DUV lithography, independent of EUV from ASML. 7nm in production for Ascend; 5nm in smaller volumes.
7nm in mass production for Ascend 910C, reaching 40% yield. 5nm in early production for Kirin processors.
Updated Feb 2025Checked 10 Oct0 updates this week
DUV light stacks multiple exposures per layer to achieve 5nm features without EUV tools.
DUV tooling is older and less expensive than EUV, but requires more process steps and careful alignment, slowing production and raising scrap.
Not relying on EUV from ASML means SMIC and its customers avoid US export restrictions on chip technology.
| Spec | 7nm/5nm DUV nodes |
|---|---|
| Node technology | 7nm and 5nm-class logicR (reported) |
| Lithography type | Deep ultraviolet (DUV) multi-patterningR (reported) |
| Fabrication locations | Shanghai, Beijing, TianjinR (reported) |
| Relative wafer cost vs TSMC | +40-50%R (reported) |
| 5nm yield status | Low; improving with volumeR (reported) |
R reported by the company
SMIC
China's largest foundry, 7nm/5nm DUV, Huawei
Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) is China's largest semiconductor foundry and the third-largest globally. Headquartered in Shanghai, SMIC manufactures chips for companies including Huawei without access to EUV lithography, using deep ultraviolet (DUV) technology instead.
