Huawei Remains on 7nm Node for Kirin X90, Facing Challenges in Advancing to SMIC’s 5nm Process for In-House Silicon Development

For companies like Huawei, the reliance on outdated Deep Ultraviolet (DUV) lithography equipment poses significant hurdles regarding the mass production of chipsets, particularly those at the 5nm process node and smaller. With the recent inclusion of SMIC and the once-prominent Chinese entity on Taiwan’s export control list, the ability to import advanced manufacturing equipment without the necessary licenses has become increasingly challenging. Despite these obstacles, Huawei continues to leverage its domestic supply chain, with its latest System on Chip (SoC), the Kirin X90, appearing in devices like the MateBook Fold. However, it remains dependent on SMIC’s antiquated 7nm technology rather than advancing to the 5nm node.

The Future of 5nm Chipsets: A Delay in Commercialization

Currently, the commercialization of 5nm chipsets is unlikely to materialize this year. This delay implies that both Huawei and SMIC will likely continue their work with 7nm technology for another generation. Despite navigating the challenges posed by the U. S.export controls, Huawei risks falling further behind its global competitors. SMIC’s lack of access to leading-edge extreme ultraviolet (EUV) machinery compounds the situation, as it remains reliant on older DUV technology. Recent insights from TechInsights reveal that, despite circulating rumors about the Kirin X90 being manufactured on a 5nm (N + 3) process, it has actually been fabricated using the same older 7nm (N + 2) technology as the Kirin 9020.

The sole progression for Huawei has been a shift from the earlier ‘N + 1′ architecture, leading to modest improvements in performance and efficiency. Nevertheless, these enhancements fall short compared to what would be achieved with the introduction of a true 5nm SoC. As the industry anticipates the rollout of 2nm chipsets within the next 1-2 years, TechInsights warns that China may lag behind the global market by at least three generations.

“If Huawei is stuck on a 7nm equivalent SoC, it is multiple generations behind the likes of Apple (M3 and M4 series), AMD (Ryzen 8040 series), and Qualcomm (Snapdragon X Elite series).TSMC, Samsung, Intel, and Rapidus will all make 2nm processes available to customers in the next 12 to 24 months, widening the gap between China’s process technology and the rest of the world by at least three technology generations.”

In addition to restrictions on acquiring EUV equipment, Huawei, along with other Chinese firms, faces challenges in procuring essential Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools for semiconductor development. Fortunately, Huawei anticipated these hurdles, reportedly constructing its own 14nm EDA tools to facilitate the mass production of 7nm silicon.

Nonetheless, the transition to 5nm technology remains a distant aspiration. Although rumors suggest that commercialization efforts are either in progress or planned, it seems unlikely that we will see any significant product launches within this calendar year.

For more information, visit the original source: TechInsights.

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