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Towards Autonomy: Challenges and prospects of Chinese mainland semiconductor process research

The iPhone 12, Xiaomi Mi 11, OPPO Find X3, and the latest phones from other brands in the mobile phone industry have one thing in common in their releases since the end of last year - equipped with the most advanced 5nm chips. Transistor integration is the most important indicator to measure chip performance, the lower the process, the higher the transistor integration, the stronger the chip performance. However, these latest 5nm chips are manufactured by Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC or South Korean manufacturer Samsung. This means that the mainland has not yet reached the mass production capacity of independent research and development of advanced process chips.

Regarding the progress of advanced process research and development in the Chinese mainland semiconductor industry, the country, industry and ordinary consumers have aroused strong interest. Foreign media Japan Keizai Shimbun conducted more than 20 surveys and interviews with mainland semiconductor equipment manufacturers at SEMICON China 2021 large-scale semiconductor industry trade show, although this may only reflect the current situation of the mainland semiconductor industry to a certain extent, but it also provides us with some valuable clues.

1. Mature process and independent research

From the perspective of lithography machine and etching machine manufacturers, the main sales products of these manufacturers are concentrated on mature process products, such as equipment for the production of 14 to 28 nm process chips. While these devices still have market demand, they are clearly two or three generations behind compared to those used in more advanced processes. As the only company in mainland China that provides lithography machines for semiconductors, its main products are lithography machines for 90nm processes, and there is still room for improvement in equipment for more advanced processes. Lithography plays an important role in chip manufacturing, enabling complex geometries to be depicted on chip photoresist layers. However, the Dutch company ASML, the global leader in lithography machines, is developing lithography machines that can be used for the production of 3nm and 2nm chips for more advanced processes, which highlights Continental's challenges in this area.

In terms of etching equipment, AMEC, as a leading etching equipment company in mainland China, mainly sells 14nm and 28nm chip etching machines. At the same time, Beijing Yitang Semiconductor also provides etching equipment for 40nm and 28nm chip production. This reflects the strong demand for mature process chip etching machines, and also implies that mainland manufacturers have a certain market share in mature processes.

However, for more advanced processes, such as 5nm chip manufacturing, mainland manufacturers do not yet have the production capacity. Although there are a few companies in the field of etching equipment that can provide equipment for 5nm chip production, overall, there is still a long way to go to independent processes.

Second, the urgent needs of the independent semiconductor industry

The trend of Chinese semiconductor equipment manufacturers focusing on mature process products reflects Chinese mainland's demand for alternatives to locally produced chips. In addition to smartphones, other fields such as automobiles and home appliances also have a huge demand for chips. However, the shortage of global chip production capacity and Sino-US trade frictions have intensified the urgency of domestic substitution, promoting Chinese semiconductor manufacturers to expand production.

The shortage of global chip production capacity is obvious, affected by the epidemic, weather and other factors, resulting in the disruption of the chip production supply chain, and the supply of chips in many fields has been affected. At the same time, the US export control ban has also impacted China's semiconductor industry. In this context, independent research and development has become a way for Chinese manufacturers to save themselves, such as SMIC, the leader of mainland wafer foundry, under the influence of the US ban, must find technological breakthroughs through its own efforts.

Third, self-sufficiency rate goals and challenges

The Chinese government is also actively promoting the development of the local semiconductor industry and supporting the localization of the industry through a number of policies. However, achieving high self-sufficiency does not happen overnight. According to the forecast of market research firm IC Insights, China's semiconductor self-sufficiency rate is expected to be 19.4% by 2025, lower than previous expectations. About half of this forecast comes from the subsidiaries of Taiwanese company TSMC, South Korean company SK Hynix and Samsung in China, while the self-sufficiency rate of mainland manufacturers is about 10%.

To sum up, Chinese mainland has a long way to go in the field of advanced semiconductor processes. Although there are already some cities in the mature process field

But in terms of more advanced processes, such as 5nm chips, mainland manufacturers still face huge challenges. While some companies are able to offer equipment for 5nm processes, the overall level of technology is still far behind the global leaders.

In order to make a breakthrough in the semiconductor industry, not only technological innovation is required, but also the support and investment of the whole society. First of all, technological innovation requires time and the accumulation of funds. Each generation of advances in chip manufacturing requires chipmakers to invest a lot of time and money to achieve iterative upgrades in technology. From equipment, materials to talent training, the coordinated development of the entire industrial chain is the key to success.

Second, support at the government level is crucial. The government not only needs to provide financial support, but also needs to formulate a series of policies conducive to the development of the semiconductor industry to create a good innovation environment and market environment. As Tian Yulong said, only by jointly creating a market-oriented, rule-of-law and international business environment and ecological environment for industrial development can we stimulate the innovation vitality of the industry.

However, Chinese mainland independent development path in the semiconductor industry is not easy. The global semiconductor industry is a highly competitive field, and the competition in technology, capital, market and other aspects is very fierce. Even leading companies like TSMC and Samsung need to continuously invest a lot of resources to maintain technological leadership.

Looking back over the past few years, Chinese mainland has made some encouraging developments in the semiconductor industry. However, more efforts are still needed to become a real technological power and achieve the goal of independent and controllable semiconductors. We look forward to the next few years, Chinese mainland can continue to make breakthroughs and move towards the independent development of the semiconductor industry. As Chinese people, we should be proud of the country's scientific and technological progress and contribute our own strength to it.

To sum up, the development of Chinese mainland semiconductor industry is full of challenges and hopes. Although there is still a gap in the field of advanced processes, with the continuous breakthrough of technology and the active support of policies, we have reason to believe that Chinese mainland will move to a new peak in the semiconductor field and become an important participant and competitor in the world semiconductor industry. I am proud of the scientific and technological development of the mainland and look forward to witnessing more innovations and breakthroughs in the future.

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