Huawei rumored to develop 3nm chip using DUV equipment

Rumors regarding Huawei say that the company is planning to develop a 3nm chip despite growing challenges and U.S. pressure. The information also cites that the firm will likely opt for DUV equipment as well as quadruple patterning for this work.

Huawei has been testing a quadruple ‘Brute-Force’ technology for making 5nm chipsets. Some reports even pointed out that SMIC has laid the line for advanced processors’ production and results might become visible by the end of this year.

Now new rumors have hit the surface, saying that Huawei is pushing its limits to develop a 3nm chip despite growing U.S. ban. Let’s check the base of this buzz.

Huawei had issued a new patent entitled “Method for manufacturing self-aligned quadruple patterned semiconductor apparatus, and semiconductor apparatus”.

SAQP Technology

SAQP or self-aligned quadruple patterned technology plays a significant role in making advanced chips. It’s a good alternative to the equipment that the Chinese phone makers can’t access due to U.S. restrictions on cutting-edge chip-making tools.

Huawei 3nm chip development rumors (Image Credits: Huawei HiSilicon)

SAQP refers to engraving lines on silicon wafers, again and again, to raise the density of the transistor and lessen the power consumption, thus enhancing performance.

While many tech experts predicted that the respective technology may let Chinese OEMs develop only a 5nm process, Huawei could use it in the making of 3nm.

Both the Kirin owner and the SMIC firm allegedly looking for 3nm process development via SAQP and DUV equipment. But some hurdles still exist in this consideration.

Intel opted for a similar method during the development of its 10nm chip in 2019. Although it failed and had to begin again. The results of the yield for also not so good and hence the chipmaker looked for better techs in this subject.

Yet SAQP could be a ‘one-and-only’ solution for SMIC and Huawei at the time being. It may help to boost the production of both Kirin and AI-based Ascend processors. Being a rumor, it is unclear how far the method proves a success for the Chinese phone maker. Hence let’s take this news as a grain of salt for now.

[Source – Tom’s Hardware]